An Unexpected Reunion
by keaton-furman-prower
Summary: While participating at the Johto League Silver Conference, Ash Ketchum is shocked to meet a girl he had thought he'd forgotten. As they reconnect, Ash realizes that he doesn't want to lose her again, and makes a decision which changes the course of both their lives. (AU Amourshipping set at the end of the Johto saga, and beyond)
1. The Trainer From Kalos

It was a rather peaceful day in the Johto region. The sky was clear, Pokemon cries filled the air, and three people were walking down the road to Silver town.

The first was a young boy of about eleven years. His raven black hair was partly hidden beneath his pokemon league expo hat, and his hands were covered by fingerless green gloves. He was wearing an open blue vest with white sleeves under which a black shirt could be seen. His pants were common blue jeans, and his backpack was green. Most notably, however, was the Pikachu who was currently traveling on his shoulder.

The second was a girl with orange hair which was tied into a side ponytail. She was wearing a sleeveless yellow shirt, along with a pair of turquoise shorts. She was wearing red suspenders and carrying a red bag behind her back. Finally, she held a small egg-shaped Pokemon in her arms.

The third was a teen with tan skin and spiky brown hair. He was wearing a green vest on top of an orange shirt, along with a pair of brown pants, and he was carrying a large blue backpack. His most distinctive feature, however, was his eyes, which were squinting to the point that they seemed to be permanently closed.

The raven-haired boy seemed to be extremely excited about something. As he walked, he pumped his fist as a huge grin formed on his face.

"We're so close to Silver Town now!" he said as he turned to his Pikachu. "Can you believe it, buddy?"

"Pikaa!"

"Jeez, Ash," said the girl. "You should save some of that energy for the League."

"Come on, Misty," Ash said with a bit of a laugh. "When have I ever run out of energy?"

"He's got a point," the older boy said. "Ash is always fired up and ready to go. I'm sure he'll do great in the league."

Misty groaned, and Ash grinned.

"Thanks, Brock."

As the three friends walked, they suddenly noticed something strange up ahead. There was a large group of people waiting at a large gate, many of whom seemed to be murmuring between themselves. Curious about what was happening, the trio began to hurry up a bit to reach the gate.

"Excuse me," Ash said as he reached the group. "Can anyone explain why everyone is gathered here?"

A man turned around to face the newcomers in surprise. "You mean you don't know? Any minute now they're going to carry out the Johto League Silver Conference torch!"

The trio gasped excitedly at the news.

"You mean they torch is going to come out of here?" Ash asked with a huge grin.

"Yeah. You guys are right in front of the gate to the Ho-oh Shrine, where the journey to take the torch of the Silver Conference begins!"

"Wow!" Ash said in amazement. "Now that's something I don't want to miss!"

He turned to his friends with his fist pumped.

"What do you say we stay here for a while and see the torch?" he asked.

"Pika-Pika!" Pikachu said in agreement.

"That sounds like a great idea!" said Brock.

"I agree!" said Misty. "That torch must be amazing to look at! Don't you think so too, Togepi?"

"Togie-togie!" the Pokemon in her arms replied.

"Awesome!" said Ash. "I can't wait for them to bring out that torch!"

Unfortunately for the raven-haired boy, waiting was one thing he would have to do. Several minutes passed, and there was no sign of the torch or any runners. Several of the people in front were starting to grumble, and the trio was starting to get a little impatient.

"Come on!" Ash groaned. "I want to see the torch!"

"Do you think something happened?" Misty asked.

"I hope not," said Brock. "But I'm starting to think it's likely."

Then, to everyone's surprise, the doors began to open. For a brief moment they hoped that the torch would finally be brought out, but their hopes were dashed when one of the attendants came out and began to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the delay, but… due to some unforeseen circumstances it will be just a bit longer before the torch actually arrives!"

Immediately, everyone began to complain. Ash groaned and looked downwards… only to see Togepi running off into the gate, with Pikachu chasing right after it.

"Wait! Come back here!" the attendant yelled as he began to chase the runaway Pokemon. Ash and his friends quickly followed, running straight past the gates. The man soon reached the two Pokemon and opened his arms to block them from getting any farther.

"Not so fast! You're not allowed here!"

Fortunately, Ash and Misty arrived just in time to prevent any further misunderstandings.

"We're sorry, sir!" Ash said quickly.

"They're just really excited," Misty explained.

"That's all right," the man said as he gave them an understanding smile. "Just be more careful, please."

Ash opened his mouth to speak, but he was stopped when he heard a pair of voices shouting. He then looked up to see a pair of trainers running down the steps to the shrine.

"What's happening?!" the attendant asked in surprise.

"How are we supposed to train with a dangerous Pokemon on the loose?!" asked the first trainer, who was carrying a poliwhirl on his back.

"I can't believe we have to put out pokemon in such danger right before the Silver Conference!" added the second trainer, who was cradling a bunch of Pokeballs.

"We're going to the Pokemon Center!" the first one said as he ran off. The second one nodded, and quickly followed. The attendant groaned as he watched them go.

"Two more trainers down…"

"Are they participating in the Silver Conference too?" Ash asked idly.

"Oh, yes!" the attendant said as his face lit up. "You're entering too?"

"Um, yeah," Ash said in confusion.

"Perfect!" the attendant said. I'd like to ask a favor of you!"

Ash tilted his head in confusion.

"Uh, sure. What kind of favor?"

The attendant grinned. "I've been asking dozens of trainers for help, but they've all ended up running away just like those two!"

The trio gasped in shock, as did their Pokemon.

"W-why did they do that?" Ash asked nervously.

"What's scary enough to do that?" Brock said as a drop of sweat rolled down his brow.

"I don't know, but it sounds like fun!"

Everyone blinked in surprise at the newest voice. They turned around and were surprised to see a boy who looked slightly older than Ash. He was wearing a blue jacket with a white strip right down the middle, as well as plain blue pants. He was also wearing a red hat on his head, along with a pair of sunglasses. He had black hair that was longer than average for a boy, and he had a large blue and black bag slung around his shoulder. Finally, he was accompanied by an eager-looking Rhyhorn.

"If you need help getting rid of some big, scary pokemon, then you can count me in!"

"Well, that would be great," the attendant said. "But I don't think I recognize you."

"Well, allow me to introduce myself," the trainer said as he raised his hand. "My name is Calem. I'm a trainer from Aquacorde Town in the Kalos region!"

Ash blinked in surprise.

"Kalos region?"

"That's really far away!" said Brock. "You'd have to travel by plane or boat to get there!"

"Yeah you do," shrugged Calem. "Still worth the trip, though. Kalos is a really beautiful region!"

For a moment, Ash didn't answer. The word Kalos was ringing a bell, but he had no idea why.

"So, would you mind introducing yourselves?" Calem asked.

"Oh," Ash said as he was snapped out of his thoughts. "My name's Ash Ketchum. I'm from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region!"

"I'm Misty!"

"I'm Brock!"

Calem gave the group a friendly smile. "It's great to meet you all!"

"It's great to meet you too, Calem!" Ash said happily.

* * *

"Why can't you get to the flame?" asked Calem.

The group had been taken to the room where the torch was being held. A group of runners were sitting around it, clearly ready to start the journey. The only thing that was missing was the sacred flame of Ho-oh to light the torch.

"You see," the attendant explained, "the shrine is named after the ancient legend of Ho-oh. Long ago, here was a fierce battle fought in this land. Many pokemon fought as well, and many of them fell in battle. Then, it is said that the legendary Pokemon Ho-oh appeared."

"Ho-oh," Ash said quietly, remembering the phoenix-like pokemon he'd seen on his first day as a trainer.

"Ho-oh unleashed its Sacred Fire, burning all human weapons to the ground and ending the conflict. When the battle finally ended, the land was left completely barren. But from the ashes of Ho-oh's Sacred Fire, new life was born. The land was rejuvenated, and the people put their differences aside to bring peace. A single flame was recovered, which was then preserved and dubbed the Sacred Flame. It has been preserved for generations, and it is the flame that is used to light the torch of the Johto League Silver Conference!"

The group stared in awe. They had never heard the legend before, but it was amazing to think that the mighty Ho-oh's flame was used in the torch.

"Wow!" said Brock. "So that's why this place is called the Ho-oh shrine!"

"That's such an amazing story!" said Misty. "So full of love and mystery!"

"Togepriii!"

Ash grinned. "So you need that flame to light the torch, right?"

* * *

The group stood in front of the stone steps that led up to the shrine. The attendant explained that the Sacred Flame was kept within the shrine, but that a wild Sneasel had recently moved into the forest around the shrine, and was not to keen on allowing others into its territory.

"A Sneasel, huh?" Ash said as he opened up his Pokedex.

"Sneasel, The Sharp Claw Pokemon," the Pokedex said. "Sneasel can extend or retract its claws instantly during attack."

"That's awesome!"

Ash turned in surprise towards Calem, who had pumped his fist in excitement.

"I've been meaning to catch myself a Sneasel for some time now. This will be the perfect chance to do that!"

"Good luck with that," the attendant said. "That Sneasel is extremely aggressive and territorial. Anyone who goes near it gets attacked! Lots of trainers have tried, but there have only been more and more injuries! And to top it off, that Sneasel has been joined by a Machop and Machoke!"

"Wow," said Misty. "No wonder they've been able to take down so many trainers!"

"That's right," said the attendant. "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't dangerous. Everyone who's gone up to get the flame has come back badly beaten!"

"Well, you don't have to worry!" Ash said. "I'll come back with that flame no matter what!"

"Pi-kaaa!"

"And I'll catch that Sneasel!" said Calem.

"I'll help too!" said Misty.

"You can count on us!" said Brock.

"Wow!" the attendant said in awe. "Thank you! That would be such a big help!"

* * *

"So, how are we going to deal with that Sneasel?" Misty asked.

Ash turned to look at her. They were almost at the top, and it was only natural that they were starting to feel a bit apprehensive.

"I'm not sure," Calem said, "but I do know that my team is ready for anything!"

"So is mine!" Ash said enthusiastically. "We'll get that flame no matter what!"

As they reached the top of the steps, Ash ran up excitedly. Before he could go any farther, however, he was very nearly slammed by a blue arm.

"Whoa!" Ash yelled as he began to fall backwards. Fortunately, his friends were there to catch him before he could go any further.

"Hey!" he yelled. "What gives?!"

Standing before him were two blue muscular Pokemon: Machop and Machoke.

"That's right!" Brock said. "The Attendant warned us that those two had joined up with Sneasel!"

"Brock! Hold Togepi!" Misty said as she passed her Togepi to Brock. She then reached out for one of her Pokeballs and flung it out.

"Go! Corsola!"

The ball opened, revealing a pink, lumpy pokemon.

"Corsola! Spike Cannon!"

Corsola began to fire a barrage of spikes at Machoke, who lifted its arms up in defense.

"You go too, Rhyhorn!" yelled Calem as he threw a Pokeball. "Take Down!"

Rhyhorn roared as it was released and charged, slamming into Machop.

"Ash!" Calem yelled. "Get the flame while they're distracted!"

Ash nodded, and ran off towards the shrine. He quickly reached it, and opened the doors, revealing a large Torch shaped like Ho-oh, upon which rested a blazing flame.

"We did it, Pikachu!" he said happily. "The Sacred Flame!"

"Pikachu!"

Before Ash could celebrate, however, he was attacked by a large claw. He was forced to take a few steps back, when a small black pokemon with large claws landed in front of him.

"Sneasel!" he yelled.

"Sneasel! Sneasel!" the pokemon replied, as if taunting him.

"Totodile!" Ash called as he flung a Pokeball. "I choose you!"

The ball opened to reveal a jolly crocodilian pokemon. However, the moment that Sneasel attempted to slash it with its claws, the smile on Totodile's face vanished and was replaced by a determined glare.

"Totodile! You can dance later! Right now, you need to help me take down this troublemaker!"

Totodile nodded, and Sneasel smirked as it flexed its claws.

"Totodile!" Ash called. "Water Gun!"

The jolly blue pokemon let forth a stream of water, only for Sneasel to jump out of the way. It then landed in front of Totodile and hit it with a Slash attack. Totodile stumbled backwards in pain, but quickly got back up.

"Totodile! Use Water Gun again!" Ash called. The big jaw Pokemon let out another blast of water, only for Sneasel to get out of the way again.

"Again!"

Totodile opened its mouth, but before it could launch a single attack, Sneasel rushed up to it and smacked it with a clenched fist, causing Totodile to fly backwards.

"Totodile!" Ash yelled in shock.

Meanwhile, behind him, Calem's Rhyhorn had just beaten the Machop with a powerful Headbutt attack, and Misty's Corsola had defeated Machoke with a strong Tackle. Having defeated the two fighting-type Pokemon, they quickly ran off to help Ash. They were shocked when they saw Totodile panting heavily as Sneasel launched a Shadow Ball attack towards them.

"Ash!" Misty yelled.

"Look out!" yelled Brock.

Calem, on the other hand, quickly grabbed one of his Pokeballs and tossed it.

"Chesnaught! Help them!"

Totodile yelled out in pain as it was struck by Sneasel's Shadow Ball. Ash gasped as the big jaw Pokemon slammed into him, throwing him into the air. The two yelled as wind rushed past them, only for it to suddenly stop as they were caught by something.

"Ash!" Misty yelled.

"Are you okay?" said Brock.

Ash nodded, and looked up at whatever had caught them. He then saw a large, bulky pokemon with a big shell on its back. It was mostly beige, with plenty of green around the edges and arms. It had a white beard on its face, and spikes all over its body.

"Wow," he said in amazement. "Thanks."

"Chesnaught," the Pokemon replied as it set Ash and Totodile down. It then glared at the Sneasel, who grinned and flexed its claws.

"It's time to end this!" Calem said, full of determination. "Chesnaught! Seed Bomb!"

Chesnaught yelled as it unleashed a barrage of seeds. As they hit the floor they exploded, damaging anything around them. Unfortunately, Sneasel was too fast to get hit by any of the seeds.

"Wow! That Sneasel's fast!" said Brock.

"Mud Shot!" Calem ordered.

Chesnaught shot out a stream of mud at Sneasel. However, the sharp claw Pokemon moved out of the way and then ran up to the larger Pokemon. Its fist then began to glow as it was covered with ice, and it slammed it into Chesnaught, causing it to cry out in pain.

"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled.

Sneasel wasn't done yet; it charged up a number of sharp shards made of ice and flung them at Chesnaught. The spiny armor Pokemon groaned in pain as it was pushed backwards. It fell on one knee, gasping for breath.

"Oh no!" Misty yelled.

"I can't believe it!" Calem said as he watched his faithful partner in pain. "That Sneasel is way stronger than I was expecting!"

The sharp claw Pokemon smirked and lifted its claws, flexing them tauntingly. Calem gritted his teeth, and then looked back towards his injured Pokemon.

"Maybe I wasn't ready for this," he said with worry. "Maybe we should go back and-"

"No!"

Calem, Misty, and Brock all looked towards Ash in surprise. Even though everyone else had been worried about Chesnaught, Ash seemed to be determined as ever.

"We can't give up when we've come this far!" he said. "Calem! You can still beat that Sneasel! You just have to believe in your Pokemon! Don't give up until it's over!"

At this moment, Calem blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected Ash to use that phrase. The only other person who did was…

No matter. Ash was right. He couldn't give up now. They needed to get that flame!

He glanced at his Chesnaught. Amazingly, it had gotten back to its feet and was now looking back at its trainer with a determined look. It had taken plenty of hits, yes, but it was a bulky Pokemon. It would take much more than a couple of super-effective hits to take it down.

"All right, Sneasel," he said, turning back to the small black pokemon that had been such a headache for so many trainers. "Come and get it!"

"Ches-Chesnaught!"

Sneasel growled at the annoying human and its big pokemon. So they wanted to fight? Fine. It would give them a fight.

Immediately, it ran towards the spiny armor Pokemon with a clenched fist. As before, the fist quickly became covered in ice. But this time, Calem and Chesnaught were ready.

"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "Spiky Shield!"

The spiny armor pressed its arms together. As they did, they expanded out into a circle, creating a protective barrier. Then, just as Sneasel was about to hit, sharp spikes expanded out from it. The sharp claw Pokemon's eyes widened as it saw the danger, but it was too late to stop.

"Sneaseeel!" it yelled out in pain as it slammed into the sharp shield. It then landed on the ground, wincing as its attack faded away.

"Now use Drain Punch!"

Chesnaught's arm glowed as it slammed into Sneasel, causing it to fly backwards. As it did, balls of light flowed out of it and towards its opponent, healing the damage that it had sustained.

"Finish it with Seed Bomb!"

Chesnaught roared as it unleashed one final barrage of explosive seeds, which landed all around Sneasel. The sharp claw Pokemon cried out in pain as it was pounded by explosions. Satisfied with this, Calem reached out for a spare Pokeball.

"Let's end this once and for all!" he yelled. "Go Pokeball!"

The Sneasel was too exhausted to fight back, and it offered no resistance as it was sucked into the ball. For a few seconds, the group watched as the ball shook. Then, the ball gave a ding sound as it let out a spark of light, indicating that it had been captured. The group then cheered, and Calem ran up to the Pokeball.

"I did it!" he said happily as he picked up the pokeball. "I caught that Sneasel!"

"Yeah!" said Ash. "I told you that you'd win!"

"And now you guys can get the flame!" Brock added.

Ash nodded, before he turned to Calem.

"Hey, Calem? Why don't you get the flame? After all, you're the one who defeated that Sneasel."

Calem blinked in surprise, before he smiled.

"Really? Gee, thanks, Ash!"

He then marched up to the shrine and opened the door. As he did, Ash turned to look at Chesnaught.

"Wow," he said. In the heat of the battle, he hadn't been able to take in the Pokemon, but he now realized that he'd never seen anything like it before. Curious, he took out his Pokedex and pointed it at Chesnaught.

" _No data available_ ," the machine said.

"No data available?" Ash said in surprise.

"Pikaaa?" said Pikachu, mirroring its trainer.

"Wow, it's not every day that you meet a Pokemon that the Pokedex can't identify," said Misty.

"It must be from the Kalos region," Brock explained. "That's Calem's home region, isn't it?"

"Chesnaught!" the Pokemon replied, as if to confirm that thought.

"That's right! In fact, Chesnaught was my very first Pokemon!"

The trio looked back to the shrine, and saw Calem walking out. In his hand he carried a small torch with a brilliant fire taken from the Sacred Flame.

"Wow!" Ash said in amazement. "The Kalos region must have all sorts of awesome Pokemon!"

"It sure does," said Calem. "You should come visit sometime!"

Ash nodded. The Kalos region sounded like an interesting place to train. He knew he could find all sorts of amazing Pokemon there.

Although… there was still that weird feeling he had when he first heard about Kalos. Why did he feel as if he'd heard it somewhere? Had someone he knew before gone there once? When and why?

Well, there would be time to dwell on that later. Right now, they should get the flame down to the runners.

* * *

Ash, Misty, Brock, and Calem looked in awe as the runners held up the torch. After all the unfortunate delays due to Sneasel, they were finally ready to go to the Silver Conference.

"I really must thank you all for your help," the attendant from before said happily. "If it weren't for you, we'd never have been able to light the torch! But now the Sacred Flame is safe, and the torch is ready to go!"

"Yeah," Ash said mareepishly. "But it was really Calem who did everything, so you should really thank him, not me."

"Oh, come on, Ash," Calem replied. "If it hadn't been for you, I might have retreated before Chesnaught could beat Sneasel, and we would have taken a lot longer to get the flame!"

"Yeah, well, that's just what Ash does," said Misty.

Ash chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head. The attendant nodded and turned around. One of the runners was now running through the gate, carrying the torch. The people who had gathered around cheered as he passed them, excited to finally see the Sacred Flame.

"It's finally starting!" said Ash.

"So exciting!" said Misty.

Calem just smiled as he watched the runner carry the torch off into the distance. He then turned towards Ash.

"Hey, Ash, you're going to enter the Silver Conference too, aren't you?"

"Yeah!" said Ash. "You mean you're going to enter?"

"Yep!" Calem replied. "Why don't I stick with you for a while? We can get there together!"

Ash smiled. Calem seemed like a great guy to hang around with. Not to mention, he was a powerful trainer with tons of strong Pokemon from a region he'd never seen.

"You know what? That sounds like fun!" he said enthusiastically.

"Pika-Pika!" Pikachu said in agreement.

"I like that idea!" said Brock. "You two could learn a lot from each other!"

"I know, right?" Misty said in agreement. "Not to mention, I want to hear more about Kalos!"

"Then it's settled!" said Calem. "Let's all go together!"

As he finished, he jumped up onto his Rhyhorn, taking the others by surprise.

"Okay, Rhyhorn! Let's go slow so we don't leave our new friends behind!"

Rhyhorn cried out happily, agreeing with its trainer on that point. They then began to walk at a slow pace, with Ash and his friends following close behind.

"Wow, that's so cool!" said Ash. "I didn't know you could ride a Rhyhorn like that!"

"I've heard that Rhyhorn Racing is really popular in the Kalos Region," said Brock.

"Rhyhorn Racing?" Misty asked.

"Yeah!" Calem replied. "My Aunt Grace was a master of Rhyhorn Racing! In fact, she's the one who gave me this guy!"

To emphasize his point, he patted his Rhyhorn, who grunted happily. Ash watched in fascination, intrigued by the concept of Rhyhorn Racing. It sounded really cool, and yet familiar somehow.

"So, you must know a lot about Rhyhorn Racing if your aunt was that good at it," Brock commented.

"Well, I've done some races," said Calem. "It's fun, but it's not quite my thing."

"Oh," said Misty. "That's too bad."

"It's all right," said Calem. "I'm much happier as a Pokemon Trainer."

He chuckled as he thought about his younger days riding atop a Rhyhorn at his aunt Grace's ranch. He loved the feeling of the wind going through his hair, and the Rhyhorn always loved to see him nearby. That being said, the rides had always been a bit too bumpy if they went too fast, and an angry or scared Rhyhorn was prone to tossing its rider off its back. It was clearly not something just anyone could master.

"Yeah, if you're not good at Rhyhorn Racing, then there's not much you can do," he said. "My cousin Serena knows that better than anyone."

Ash's eyes widened.

"Your… cousin Serena?" he asked nervously. Pikachu's ears twitched, but fortunately nobody else seemed to have noticed Ash's tone.

"Yeah," said Calem. "She's been living with Rhyhorn for years, and she's never really gotten the hang of riding them. Aunt Grace keeps training her in the hopes that she'll eventually become a great Rhyhorn Racer like her, but it's pretty obvious that Serena has no interest in doing so."

"Oh, poor Serena," Misty said with a sigh. "I really hope she can find something she actually likes."

"Yeah," Ash said, just barely aware of his surroundings. "Me too."

"I'm sure she will," said Calem. "It'll just take her a little longer than most people."

Ash sighed as he looked forward. When he met Calem, he hadn't been expecting this to happen. True, he'd recognized the name of the Kalos region, but he hadn't been able to understand why. The moment he'd mentioned the name Serena, however, it had immediately reminded him of someone who he thought he'd forgotten.

 _Serena…_

In his mind, he saw himself, several years younger, at Professor Oak's summer camp. He then saw a poliwag, which he'd begun to chase, but eventually lost. And then…

A little angel. Delicate honey-blonde hair, beautiful blue eyes, and the sweetest voice in the world.

"Pika?"

Ash was snapped out of his thoughts by his partner's voice. He then looked towards his shoulders and saw Pikachu giving him a worried look. He smiled and scratched the yellow rodent's head.

"Sorry, buddy," he said. "I'm just… thinking about stuff."

Pikachu still looked worried, but did not inquire further. Satisfied with this, Ash looked forward towards the road. As he did, his thoughts went back to the girl he'd met so many years before.

 _It's probably just a coincidence_ , Ash thought to himself. _There are probably a whole bunch of girls in the Kalos region named Serena… whose mothers are Rhyhorn Racers… and really don't want to ride on Rhyhorns…_

 _Just a coincidence._

* * *

"Uuugh… why did I agree to this?!"

Meowth groaned as he walked around the shrine dressed in a Sneasel costume. He still could not believe that the other two were actually considering leaving him behind in favor of that dumb Sneasel. Sure, he wasn't as strong as a Sneasel, but he was supposed to be a member of the team! They couldn't just abandon him! Just because it was stronger, and cooler-looking, and was a dark-type…

 _Admittedly, being a dark-type Pokemon would be pretty cool_ , Meowth idly thought to himself. _I wonder what I'd look like if I became a dark-type._

And the worst part was that, after all the time he'd been searching in this ridiculous oversized costume, he still hadn't come any closer to finding the dumb Sneasel. After they had originally been sent flying by its attack, they had quickly formed a plan to catch the sharp claw Pokemon. Unfortunately, after they came back, they realized that it was nowhere to be seen. And after prowling around for several hours trying to find it, Meowth was beginning to think it was an exercise in futility.

"Jessie? James? Can we go now? My paws are killing me!"

At this, his two companions, a purple-haired man and a pink-haired woman wearing identical white uniforms, emerged from behind the trees.

"Are you serious?!" Jessie yelled angrily. "We spend all this time searching for that dumb Sneasel and it's still nowhere to be found! What gives?!"

"Maybe someone else managed to catch it first," James muttered.

"That's an outrage!" Jessie yelled. "How could some stupid trainer catch our newest recruit?!"

"Yeah, well, you were gonna kick me out to make room for that dumb Sneasel," Meowth muttered. "It wasn't that much of a loss, honestly."

Jessie gritted her teeth, and was about to smack some sense into Meowth when the trio heard a pair of growls. Looking up, they saw a pair of Pokemon approaching; the Machop and Machoke who had been with the Sneasel earlier.

"What do you want?!" she yelled angrily. "Go away! We're having a bad moment here!"

The two fighting-type Pokemon did not seem happy about this. In their anger, they began to charge towards the trio with their fists glowing, causing the three to sweat nervously.

"So, I'm guessing that's not good?" Jessie asked, her voice trembling.

"Maybe we should run!" James suggested.

"Too late!" yelled Meowth.

The three were then smacked by a double Dynamic Punch attack, which sent them flying into the sky.

"Team Rocket's blasting off agaaaaaiiiinnn!" they screamed as they flew off and vanished into the distance. The two fighting-type Pokemon cheered and flexed their muscles. They may have lost their leader, but they could do just fine on their own.

"You two are perfect!"

The duo turned around in surprise at the sound of the voice. They then saw the shrine attendant gazing at them enthusiastically.

"I have a brilliant idea!" he said. "You two would be perfect to help us guard the Ho-oh Shrine! Of course, we'd make sure that you were always well-fed and cared for, so it would be great for you too!"

Machop and Machoke looked at the man in surprise. They then looked at each other and smiled. It seemed that a lot more good would come out of them losing that Sneasel.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Hello Everyone! I've had this story on my mind for a while, and I've finally gotten around to writing it down. I hope you enjoy it!**_


	2. An Old Friend

Grace stood up from her chair as she looked up at the clock. She sighed when she saw the time. It wasn't too late yet, but if her daughter didn't get ready soon, they would most likely miss their flight, and that would simply not do. Thinking to herself, she then looked downwards to the small bird pokemon eating at the table.

"Well, Fletchling," she said, causing the little pokemon to look up. "It looks like Serena decided to sleep in again. Please be a dear and go wake her up."

Fletchling nodded and spread its wings. It then flew up towards Serena's room, chirping as it did. Grace watched with a smile as she pushed her chair back in. She then began to walk towards the steps.

"GYAAAAAHHHH!"

The next thing Grace knew, the little bird Pokemon was flying back to her with a mischievous smile on its face. It landed right on her shoulder as a young girl ran down the stairs.

"Mom!" the girl yelled angrily. "Why did you have Fletchling peck me again?!"

"You should have been up a long time ago," Grace replied. "We have to get ready to see your cousin Calem! When was the last time you were able to see a Pokemon League in person, especially one taking place so far away from Kalos?"

"Come on," Serena groaned. "We can always watch the Silver Conference on television!"

Grace frowned. "Serena, we've talked about this. We were lucky enough to get tickets to see the Silver Conference, and we can't let that opportunity go wasted! And Calem already expects us to be there to cheer for him!"

"Fine," Serena mumbled. She then went up to her room to get changed. She still didn't know how to feel about going all the way to Johto to cheer on her cousin. On one hand, she had always admired Calem, seeing him almost like the older brother that she never had. On the other hand, she wasn't looking forward to going to a place that would most likely be full of trainers, all of whom would almost certainly know what they wanted to do with their lives.

That was something Serena could not say for herself.

Her mother insisted on teaching her everything she knew about Rhyhorn Racing, but Serena was quite certain that she never wanted to be in a race. However, she had no idea what she could do instead. And she doubted she could figure out by going to the Silver Conference.

As she finished getting clothed, she thought about what the next few days would hold for her. She wondered if she would meet any new friends there, or if she'd see something that could help her find her calling in life. Briefly, she wondered if any of the trainers in the Silver Conference would manage to change her life.

Briefly, she chuckled to herself. What were the odds of any life-changing events taking place in the Silver Conference?

* * *

Ash, Misty, and Brock walked towards the Athlete's Village with Calem. He had long since returned his Rhyhorn to its pokeball, and was now walking alongside the trio.

"Man, I'm glad we got all that paperwork out of the way," said Ash. "I can't wait to start battling!"

"Pikachu!"

"Well, aren't you excited," said Calem. "I mean, I'm excited too, but I would like to just enjoy the other aspects of the league. I mean, look at all the stands! We could get ice cream, souvenirs, balloons…"

At the last one, Ash noticed an old, short man with a long, white beard, who was passing out balloons to a group of happy children. His eyes widened and his face broke into a grin as he recognized the man.

"Mr. Goodshow!" he said as he ran up, catching the man's attention.

"Hmm?" said Mr. Goodshow, before he smiled widely. "Why? If it isn't Ash, Brock, and Misty! What perfect timing!"

He then noticed the temporary fourth member of the group. "Oh? And who might this young man be?"

"Hello, sir," Calem said as he raised a hand. "My name's Calem! I'm a Pokemon trainer from Aquacorde Town in the Kalos region!"

"Kalos, eh?" Mr. Goodshow said as he scratched his chin. "Why that's a very lovely place. You're lucky to have grown up there, you know."

"I sure am," said Calem.

"So, why are you out here passing balloons, Mr. Goodshow?" Misty asked.

"You see," Mr. Goodshow explained, "as President of the Pokemon League Torch Committee, one of my jobs it to greet the fans! And nothing says 'Welcome to the Silver Conference' like a good old balloon, right?"

"Well, I can't argue with that," said Brock. "Everyone loves balloons."

"Right," said Mr. Goodshow. "So Ash, it's been quite a while since I last saw you! Would I be right in assuming that you came here to battle in the Silver Conference?"

"Absolutely!" said Ash.

"Then you promise me you'll get out there and show those trainers what battling is all about!"

"You got it!, Mr. Goodshow!" Ash said as he pumped his fist.

"PikaPika!" Pikachu said in agreement.

* * *

The four trainers walked into the Athlete's Village Pokemon Center and Hotel. They were amazed by how large it was, even if it made sense for it to be big enough to house all the trainers who would be participating in the conference.

"Well, I guess I'll be heading off for my room," Calem said as they walked through the halls. "Let's meet up later!"

"Sounds great!" said Ash. "Good luck!"

"You too, Ash!" said Calem as he walked off to his room. Ash grinned and made his way to his own room along with Brock and Misty.

"Here we are!" Brock said as they reached the room. Upon opening the door, they gasped at what they saw; the room was large, with several comfy couches and seats. There was a balcony with a view of the lake, as well as a number of potted plants. The walls had several paintings hung up on them, and there were at least two tables, one of which had a computer that trainers could use to check for information on their competitors.

"This room is so awesome!" Ash said as he ran into the room and sat on a couch. Misty and Brock followed him in, taking in their surroundings.

"This is such a great room!" Misty said. "They definitely want the trainers to feel right at home in here!"

"Togepriii!" Togepi trilled.

Brock smiled, and then turned towards Ash. "Hey Ash, why don't we head off to the screening fields? The screening rounds are about to begin!"

Ash got off the couch and grinned. "You got it! I'm ready!"

"PikaPika!" Pikachu cried as it jumped onto Ash's shoulder.

* * *

"Quilava! Fire Blast!"

Calem chuckled as the dark blue fire-type launched a huge blast of fire towards his Rhyhorn. It would take a lot more than that to take them down.

"Rhyhorn! Rock Tomb!"

Rhyhorn roared as a number of rocks began to fly around it before being launched towards Quilava at high speeds. The rocks then circled around the volcano Pokemon before smashing into it. Quilava cried out in pain before collapsing, now unconscious.

"Quilava is unable to battle!" the referee yelled. "Rhyhorn is the winner! The victor is Calem of Aquacorde Town!"

"Yes!" said Calem as he thrust his fist into the air. "Well done, Rhyhorn!"

"Rhyyy!" Rhyhorn replied happily."

Calem smiled as he returned his Pokemon to its Pokeball. That had been his third win, and so he had made it to the next stage of the competition. It hadn't been easy, but he was determined to make it all the way to the top.

Not to mention it would be incredibly embarrassing if he was defeated even before his aunt and cousin arrived. He was going to give them something to cheer for!

Speaking of which, his Holo Caster was beginning to ring. Smiling, he pulled it out and pressed a button to answer the call.

"Hey, Aunt Grace!" he said, immediately recognizing the woman who appeared before him.

"Calem!" his aunt said happily. "How have you been?"

"I'm doing great!" Calem said with a smile. "I just made it past the screening round!"

"That's great, Calem!" said Grace. "Serena and I have just landed in Silver Town, so we'll be there very soon!"

"Awesome!" Calem replied. "I'll meet up with you at the Pokemon Center. I'll probably need to check my place in the next round, so I'll be spending a lot of time there anyway!"

"Gotcha," said Grace. "You keep winning those battles, and we'll make sure to cheer you on!"

"All right!" said Calem. "See you soon!"

"See you soon!"

With that, Calem turned his Holo Caster off. He then looked off into the distance as he made his way out of the field. He was excited to see his aunt and cousin again. Not only would it be great for them to get to know this new region, but it would also help motivate him in his battles. After all, there was no way he'd lose in front of his family!

In the distance, he could see Ash successfully obtaining victory with his Cyndaquil. So he'd made it past the screening round as well. He couldn't say he was surprised.

He made his way towards the Pokemon Center. He'd have a lot to do in the next few days.

* * *

Ash, Misty, and Brock looked up at the screen in fascination. The faces of all the people who had managed to pass the screening round were shown for all to see.

"So, these are all the trainers who've made it so far," said Ash.

"Look!" Brock said as he pointed upwards. "Calem made it!"

"That's amazing!" Misty said happily.

"Togie-togie!" Togepi cheered.

"Yeah!" Ash said in agreement, before he gasped. "Look!"

The other two looked where Ash was pointing and gasped as well. There, at the very top, was a picture of none other than Ash's oldest rival, Gary Oak.

"Gary Oak," Ash said quietly. "I should've known that he'd make it."

"Pikachuuu."

Ash sighed as he looked around. His face then lit up when he saw a familiar face; his own.

"Yeah! There I am!"

"All right!" said Misty.

"You did it!" said Brock.

"Yeah!" Ash said enthusiastically. "I'm going to beat him and everyone else!"

"Oh, I wouldn't get overconfident if I were you!"

Ash blinked in surprise, then turned around. Standing before him was none other than Mr. Goodshow.

"Mr. Goodshow?"

"You'd be surprised how hard it is to get through the semifinals," Mr. Goodshow explained. "The Silver Conference semifinals are fought between three members of each block, in three-on-three battles! The trainer with the most points in each block gets to advance to the victory tournament in the finals! Out of the current 48 trainers, only 16 will be able to advance to the finals!"

"Wow," said Misty. "When you put it like that, it definitely sounds like a long road to the finals."

"Not to mention a rough one!" Brock added.

"That's right!" said Mr. Goodshow. "So good luck!"

"Oh, don't you worry, Mr. Goodshow!" Ash said confidently. "We're gonna win all the way up to the very last battle!"

"Pika Pika!"

"Oh, I don't doubt you have what it takes!" said Mr. Goodshow. "Now go out and impress the world!"

With that, the old man walked away with a smile on his face, and Ash looked towards his partner.

"So, what do you say, Pikachu? Are you ready to take on the trainers in the semifinals?

"Pi-pikachu!"

Ash smiled happily. Right now, there was nothing in the world that was more exciting to him than winning this league.

Or so he thought.

"Hey, isn't that Calem?" Misty asked.

Ash turned towards where Misty was pointing. He quickly recognized the trainer from Kalos. However, he was then surprised to see him talking happily to two other people. One of them was a woman with short purple hair and a rather athletic body. However, the one that truly caught Ash's attention was the second person.

 _Serena…_

She looked just as he remembered her. She had grown a bit, of course, but that had only made her beauty even more noticeable. She also had different clothes; a blue shirt with a Pokeball logo on it, a white skirt, pink shoes, and hair tied into a ponytail. But she still had the same locks of honey-blonde hair and the same blue eyes as before.

Almost without noticing, Ash began to walk towards her. Pikachu noticed this, and looked at its trainer in surprise. Brock and Misty looked to Ash in surprise, and began to walk to catch up to him.

"Ash?" Brock asked. "Is something up?"

Ash was snapped out of his thoughts by Brock's voice. He then looked behind him and saw his friends looking at him with a confused look on their faces. Ash realized what he'd been doing and smiled mareepishly.

"Oh, well… I was just wondering who those people with Calem were."

Brock and Misty turned to each other and shrugged. While they weren't quite convinced by Ash's explanation, they would accept it for the moment. Besides, they wanted to find out who Calem's visitors were.

"So, the lighting of the torch is going to happen tomorrow, and then we'll move onto the semifinal rounds," said Calem.

"Well that sounds exciting!" said Grace. "I'm looking forward to seeing you battle, Calem!"

"I guess so," said Serena. "And the torch lighting sounds really cool to watch!"

"Hey, Calem!"

The black-haired teen turned away from his aunt and cousin to look at the new arrivals. He then smiled when he saw that it was his new friends.

"Hey guys! How's it going?" he asked.

"Great!" Ash said. "I made it to the semifinals!"

"I knew you'd do it," Calem said with a chuckle. He then turned towards his family.

"Aunt Grace, Serena, these are some friends I met on the road to Silver Town."

The two smiled and turned to face the trio.

"Hello there," said Grace. "My name's Grace. It's nice to meet such good friends of Calem!"

Serena smiled at the newcomers. "I'm Serena. Any friend of Calem is a friend of mine!"

Ash briefly frowned. Serena didn't seem to recognize him. However, he quickly pushed that thought out of his mind and put on his usual smile.

"Hi, Grace and Serena! My name's Ash, and I'm going to be the greatest Pokemon Master ever!"

"Pikachu!"

"I'm Brock, and I'm training to be a great Pokemon breeder!"

"And I'm Misty! I'm going to be a great water Pokemon expert!"

"Togepriiii!"

Serena sighed inwardly. The fact that all three of Calem's new friends had their own goals in life wasn't unexpected, but it still reminded her that she had no idea what her own calling was. Even so, she made sure not to show it. She didn't want to bring down the mood.

"That sounds so cool!" she said. "I'll bet you're all excited about the Silver Conference."

Ash smiled. Her voice was just as beautiful as he remembered.

"Yeah. I'm always ready to battle!"

"Pikachu!"

* * *

It was late at night, and everyone else had already gone to sleep. Ash, however, was lying in his bed, wide awake. It had been years since he had last seen Serena, but he had never been able to forget it. Even as he'd traveled throughout Kanto, the Orange Islands, and Johto, he'd always thought, somewhere in the back of his head, that maybe, someday, he could find her again, and pick up where they had left off. Perhaps even travel with her.

How amazing, then, that she had just happened to be traveling to the Johto region to see a member of her family competing. What were the odds of that? Well, to be fair, they were probably much higher than ever meeting a single legendary Pokemon, and Ash had met several. Still, he could hardly believe that she was here! In the Silver Conference!

...And she didn't remember him.

He sighed sadly. He supposed he couldn't expect everyone he met to remember him forever.

He then sat up and got out of his bed. Pikachu woke up in surprise, and saw him getting dressed. Surprised, the mouse Pokemon ran up to his partner with an inquisitive look. Ash looked down and shrugged. He couldn't sleep with all the thoughts that were going through his mind at the moment, so it just felt right to go out for a walk to let off some steam. Pikachu didn't know what was going on, but jumped up onto his trainer's shoulder anyway.

The two quietly walked out of the room, then moved on down the halls. Eventually, they made their way to the front desk, and then walked out the doors. The air was crisp, and the stars were shining brightly. The wind was lightly caressing the leaves in the trees and bushes, and the light of the moon was reflecting beautifully off of the lake.

Ash smiled as he took the scene in. It was perfect for being alone with his thoughts. Well, alone except for Pikachu. And Serena.

 _Serena?_

Ash's eyes widened. There, sitting on a rock by the lake, was none other than his old camp friend. She was looking out at the lake with a worried expression on her face. Surprised to see her, Ash began to walk towards her. Pikachu noticed that, and looked towards the the girl in confusion.

"Serena?"

The blue-eyed girl looked up in surprise, and noticed the raven-haired boy and his Pikachu staring at her.

"Oh, hi there," she said. "Ash, was it?"

Ash chuckled. "Yeah, that's me."

"So, I'm guessing you can't sleep?" she asked.

"I guess I could ask you the same thing," Ash replied as he sat down on the rock next to her, and Pikachu got off his shoulder and sat on the other side. "But yeah, I've just got a lot on my mind right now."

Serena couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I could say the same right now."

For a moment, neither of them spoke; they just watched the lake quietly, thinking to themselves. Pikachu watched the two curiously, wondering what had gotten into its trainer recently.

"So, what's keeping you up, Serena?" Ash asked.

Serena sighed. "It's nothing. I was just… thinking about how I don't know what I want to do with my life."

Ash tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Serena said as she looked up to the stars, "you and your friends all know what you want to do. You all have a dream; a goal that you want to achieve. And I… I don't. I have no idea what I want to do."

Ash looked downwards. So that's what was keeping Serena up at this hour?

"Wow," he said. "That does sound hard to deal with."

Serena didn't say anything, but nodded. Then, to her surprise, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Ash giving her a determined smile.

"Hey, don't be sad. You'll find out what your dream is sooner or later. Just because it's taking you a long time to find it doesn't mean it won't appear. I know you'll find out what you want to do if you don't give up!"

For a moment, Serena just stared at Ash, surprised by his encouraging words. Then, she smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, Ash. I'll just keep looking to find my dream!"

Ash and Serena smiled at each other for a moment. Then Serena looked back out at the lake, while Ash kept looking at her, admiring her honey-blonde hair, her deep blue eyes, and her joyful smile. He wanted to ask her the question that had been plaguing him since they were first reunited, but Serena spoke first.

"So, Ash, you're battling in the Silver Conference, right?"

Ash blinked, then looked at Pikachu, who gave him a thumbs up.

"Yeah, I am. My Pokemon are really tough, and we're going to win all the way to the top!"

Serena chuckled at his enthusiasm. "You'd better be careful. Calem is a really tough trainer! He could end up beating you if you're not careful!"

"I wouldn't doubt that," said Ash. "Your cousin is really tough."

The blonde girl nodded quietly, leaving Ash to think about what he had to say. He really wanted to ask her, but he was worried that she had completely forgotten about him, and would think that he was crazy or something. Or worse, that she had moved on, and wanted nothing to do with him. But if he didn't ask, he would be left wondering forever.

Finally, he took a deep breath. He had to ask before he got cold feet.

"Serena?"

The blue-eyed girl lifted her head to face Ash, who seemed to be nervous. Even Pikachu was now looking up in surprise.

"Do you… remember me?"

Serena looked at him in surprise.

"…Remember you?" she asked. "You mean we've met before?"

"Pikaaa?"

Ash groaned. This was the opposite of what he had hoped. However, he quickly put up a small smile.

"It's okay," he said, with a hint of sadness in his voice. "It was a long time ago, so I guess you wouldn't remember it."

"Hmm," muttered Serena. "So, where did we meet?"

"It was at Professor Oak's Pokemon Summer Camp," Ash explained.

"Oh," said Serena. "I remember that! I really didn't want to go, though…"

The two kids laughed mareepishly, while Pikachu just watched in surprise.

"Yeah, it was there that we first met," Ash confirmed.

Serena nodded in understanding, before taking a good look at the boy's face. His raven hair, his chocolate brown eyes, the marks below his eyes… there was definitely something familiar about him. Could he be telling the truth?

"How did we meet?" she asked.

Ash looked into her eyes. It seemed that, while unsure, she might just be believing what he said. Maybe there was still a chance!

"Well," Ash explained, "While we were at camp…"

* * *

 _"Poliwag! Where did you go?"_

 _Ash looked around the forest. Just a few moments ago, he had been chasing a Poliwag. It had run away the moment it saw him, but he had kept chasing it, determined to make friends with it. Unfortunately, he couldn't find it anymore, but he wasn't going to let that stop him from finding the little blue ball of water._

 _"Poliwag!" he called out as he searched through a bush. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"_

 _Then, to his surprise, he heard a cry. He lifted his head in surprise. Had it been Poliwag? Or had it been one of the other kids at the camp? He looked in the direction of the cry and saw a bunch of bushes. Maybe whoever made the cry was on the other side?_

 _Quickly, he went into the bushes, pushing through the branches and leaves. It wasn't easy, but he eventually made it to the other side. As he approached the end, he heard a gentle cry._

 _"Poliwag?"_

 _He stuck his head out from the bushes, but there was no Poliwag to be found. Instead, to his surprise, he saw another one of the campgoers. It was a girl the same age as him, with honey-blonde hair, blue eyes, a straw hat, and a pink dress._

 _"Hey, are you alright?" he said in a gentle voice._

 _"I hurt my leg!" the girl whimpered. She then looked down at her knee, and Ash noticed that it had been scraped._

 _"Don't worry!" said Ash. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue handkerchief with a pokeball print._

 _"See this? This will make it better!" he said as he showed the girl the handkerchief. He then gently wrapped it around the girl's knee, then tied it firmly but not too tight. All the while, the girl watched in fascination._

 _"All done!" he said as he let go of the knot. "Now watch this!"_

 _He then began to wave his hands above the girl's knee as he chanted a healing spell, or something to that effect, anyway._

 _"Feel better, feel better, right away!"_

 _He then looked at the girl, and was overjoyed when she began to laugh. It was the first time he'd seen her smile since he found her._

 _"You're funny," she said, causing Ash's face to become slightly red._

 _"Aw, it was nothing," he said. "Can you stand?"_

 _The girl tried to move her leg, but winced when she tried._

 _"My leg still hurts…"_

 _Then, to her surprise, Ash stood up. He then stretched out his hand._

 _"Don't give up until it's over, kay? Now come on!"_

 _The girl looked at his hand, unsure of how to act. However, after a moment she slowly reached out and grabbed it._

 _"See, you got it!" said Ash. "Now please tell me your name!"_

 _"I'm Serena," she said as Ash began to pull her up._

 _"Great!" Ash replied. "My name's-"_

 _However, in his haste to pull Serena back to her feet, Ash pulled just a bit too fast, causing Serena to crash into him. The force of the impact sent them both falling, and Serena landed right on top of Ash._

 _"_ _ **Ack!**_ _"_

 _Ash groaned as he tried to get back up. He hadn't expected to pull Serena up so hard that she fell on top of him._

 _At that moment, he suddenly realized that she was right on top of him._

 _Serena was still looking at him, but now she had a big smile on her face. Realizing how close she was to him, Ash's face began to glow a bright crimson color._

 _"Thanks for saving me from falling, Ack!"_

 _Ash opened his mouth to tell her that it wasn't his name, but once he saw her face, he found it hard to do so. She seemed so happy, and telling her she'd gotten it wrong seemed… well, wrong._

 _"You're… welcome, Serena."_

 _She smiled as she slowly crawled off Ash. He then pushed himself back up to his feet, and then grabbed Serena's hand again._

 _"Ready?" he said. "One, two…"_

 _He then pulled her up, but not as fast as before. She then came up, and Ash grabbed her in his arms._

 _"Gotcha!"_

 _It was then that he realized that he was holding her in his arms, making his face go red again. Serena then pulled back and smiled._

 _"Thanks Ack!"_

 _As Serena smiled, Ash was mesmerized by her face. Her honey-blonde hair, her dazzling blue eyes, and her beautiful smile. Even her voice was sweet and cheerful. Ash had never seen anything like it. However, he then remembered that he had heard about something that fit the description perfectly._

 _An angel._

 _He had heard his mother speak of them many times. Angels were beings from the realm of Arceus, with such beauty that no earthly human or Pokemon could ever hope to compare. Their voices brought great joy to all who heard them, and anyone who met one would be granted peace and happiness._

 _Was this girl an angel?_

 _"Can you take me back to the campsite, please? I'd like to see the nurse. Maybe you should too, Ack. You look like you have a fever!"_

 _Ash was shaken out of her thoughts when Serena spoke to him. He then looked forwards._

 _"Uh, yeah! The campsite!" he said quickly._

 _"You're funny, Ack!"_

 _As he looked, he realized that he was still holding Serena's hand. His face grew even redder at this, but he forced himself to focus. No good would come out of getting lost on their way to the campsite._

 _Slowly, he walked out of the forest, with Serena by the hand._

* * *

Serena stared intently at Ash. Meanwhile, he held his breath. He was hoping with all his heart that she would remember him. She just had to remember him! Even Pikachu was staring at the two, wondering if they really did know each other.

Then, Serena spoke.

"Ack?"

A glimmer of hope.

"Yes?"

Serena's face grew into a wide grin.

"Ack!"

Ash grinned.

"Yeah! You remember me!"

Serena then flung her arms around Ash and hugged him tightly. Caught off guard by this, Ash's face began to go red. Meanwhile, Pikachu began to giggle, amused by the sudden turn of events.

"I can't believe I didn't recognize you sooner!" she said happily. "I mean, you were the only friend I made at that camp!"

As she let Ash go, he felt his cheeks glowing again. Darn it! Why did it have to be happening now?!

"Well, I guess it's been a long time, and it slipped your mind," Ash said, nervously chuckling at the end. Fortunately, Serena didn't seem to notice his blushing, and chuckled with him.

"I guess so."

At that, the two became silent once more. They both stared up at the moon, which was full.

"You know, it's funny," said Serena. "I never wanted to go to that camp in the first place, but then I met you. And the same thing happened now; I didn't want to go to the Silver Conference, and surprise, surprise, I meet you once again."

"Yeah," said Ash, just as impressed with his luck.

"It makes you wonder what would have happened if I hadn't decided to go to that camp," said Serena. "You might just have been another face in the crowd. Another trainer for my cousin to beat."

"Wow," said Ash, grimacing at the thought of a Serena who had no idea who he was.

"Or what if I hadn't come to the Silver Conference," she continued. "We wouldn't have been able to reunite, and we wouldn't have had a chance to reconnect in a long time, if ever!"

"Yeah," Ash said, a hint of sadness in his voice. "But hey, we're here now, right?"

Serena nodded. "That we are. And I'm glad to see you again, Ack."

At this, a drop of sweat formed on Ash's brow. Pikachu, on the other hand, fell over laughing.

"Please don't use that name in front of anyone."

Serena chuckled.

"Okay, _Ash_. I'll only call you Ack whenever we're alone."

Pikachu rolled over in laughter. Ash glared at him, but realized he couldn't stay angry at him. Especially with Serena around.

"Well, I should probably go now," said Serena as she got to her feet. "It's late, and if I stay in bed too long mom will have her Fletchling attack me. Again."

"Yeah," Ash said in agreement as he got up as well. "I should probably get rest as well."

The two kids looked at each other and smiled.

"Well, see you tomorrow, Ash," Serena said as she got off the rock and began to walk back to the hotel.

"Good night, Serena!" Ash said as he waved at her. He then closed his eyes and smiled to himself. It had taken some reminding, but she had managed to recognize him. And now he could finally resume his friendship with the angelic Serena, with her beautiful blue eyes, honey-blonde hair, and gentle personality…

"Piiiikapiii…"

Ash looked down at Pikachu, and was surprised to see him making kissy faces and heart eyes.

"S-stop it, Pikachu!" Ash said in embarrassment. "It's not like that!"

Pikachu gave him a questioning look. Ash sweatdropped a little.

"Okay…" he admitted. "Maybe just a little…"

Pikachu raised an eyebrow. Ash groaned. Was it really that obvious? Or was Pikachu just that good?

"Fine," he said at last. "It's totally like that."

Pikachu nodded in approval, causing Ash to groan.

 _Man_ , he thought to himself. _Am I going to have to deal with this forever?_

* * *

 ** _A/N: And there we go! I was hoping on keeping this chapter until I got some more done, but then I realized that you all were probably eager to see Ash and Serena reunite. So here you go!_**


	3. A Fiery Opening

It was almost time for the opening ceremonies. The stadium was now almost completely full of spectators, all excited to see the strength of the Pokemon and trainers who had managed to make it to the league. Within the halls of the stadium itself, the trainers were all gathering to take part in the opening ceremony, as their friends and family were just preparing to leave after wishing them luck. It was here that Ash and Calem had just arrived, closely followed by Brock, Misty, Grace, and Serena.

"We'll be watching everything as closely we can!" Grace said as she held up a camera. "And do your best to stand out so we can take your picture!"

"Don't worry," said Calem. "I'm sure you'll be able to get my picture just fine!"

"Yeah!" said Ash. "And if you have any trouble, I'll just wave my arms around really high so you can see where we are!"

"Pika!"

As he flapped his arms around, Brock, Calem, and Serena all laughed, while Misty just rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure we'll be able to find you two. You don't need to flap your arms."

"Oh, don't be like that, Misty," Grace said with a smile. "Ash has made it this far, so why don't you let him have some fun?"

Ash chuckled mareepishly for a moment, scratching the back of his head. He then blinked in surprise when he realized that Serena was now looking directly at him. She then gave him a thumbs up and grinned.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what a great trainer you are, Ash!

For the briefest of moments, Ash froze. Had Serena just told him that he was a great trainer? And had she given him a thumbs up? Well, those weren't exactly indicative of anything special in and of themselves, but still! She was complimenting him!

As quickly as the moment came, it was gone, and Ash was putting on his most confident smile, and praying to Arceus that his face wasn't red.

"Thanks, Serena! I'll make sure to fight extra hard now!"

Serena smiled and nodded. Meanwhile, everyone else was watching with varying expressions on their faces. Neither Serena nor Ash had told anyone about their talk the previous night, so no one knew what was happening between them. However, it was quite obvious that something was going on between them. Calem had turned away and was now scratching his chin, considering everything he knew about Ash. Brock and Grace were just staring at the two, surprised at how well the two were getting along despite seemingly never having met before. Meanwhile, Pikachu was watching everything from the floor, barely able to contain his laughter.

The most notable reaction, however, was coming from Misty. She was shaking violently as she watched the two interact, glaring at Serena in particular.

 _What… what is going on?! Why is Ash acting so friendly with her?! He just met her yesterday! She has no right to be this close to him already! Ash is my friend! She can't have him!_

"Togepriii?"

Misty snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Togepi's voice. She then looked down to see that it was giving her a worried look, which made her calm down considerably.

"Sorry, Togepi," she whispered. She then looked around, and was relieved to see that no one else had noticed her moment of anger.

"Attention trainers!" a voice said on the intercom. "Please form a line at the entrance to the field and move forward in a slow and calm manner. Thank you for your cooperation!"

"Well, I guess that's our cue!" said Calem as he turned to face the others.

"See you soon!" said Grace.

"Good luck!" said Serena.

"We'll be rooting for you!" said Brock.

"Thanks guys!" said Ash as he and Calem got in line.

Misty didn't say anything; she simply walked off with the rest of the group as she looked back towards Ash. She then sighed as quietly as she could to not alert the others.

 _I shouldn't be thinking too much about this,_ she thought to herself. _Yeah, Ash and Serena are acting friendly towards each other, but that doesn't mean anything! I mean, Ash had been friends with plenty of other girls without actually falling for any of them! Duplica, Casey, and even *gulp* Melody…_

 _Yeah, just don't overthink it, Misty. There's no way he'd choose Serena over you. He's known you for, what, nearly two years? And he's only just met her! He doesn't know her well enough to like her like that!_

 _...Right?_

* * *

"Well, that was a disaster."

Meowth glared at Jessie as she tossed her apron into a nearby trash bin. Ever since their failed attempt to replace him with Sneasel, he had been particularly angry towards the other two members of his trio. They had attempted to calm him down several times, but all they had managed to do was remind him of how many times they had failed to capture Pikachu.

"Well, we coulda kept our jobs if ya hadn't gotten hungry in the middle of cooking the food!" Meowth yelled.

"Oh really?!" Jessie asked angrily. "Because I recall that the two of you were happy to join in once you got hungry too!"

"Hey!" James yelled. "You were the one who got us to eat with you!"

"And the two of you dragged me into this mess again!" said Meowth.

"Ugh!" Jessie yelled out. "This is getting us nowhere! We need to form a plan to get that twerp's Pikachu!"

"Hopefully one that doesn't involve having me replaced," muttered Meowth.

"Well, we don't need to take the twerp's Pikachu yet," James pointed out. "After all, the twerp and his friends are bound to be here until the end of the league. We could spend our time until then making money and whatnot, and then put our plan to catch Pikachu into motion at the very end of the league!"

Jessie and Meowth looked at each other, then back to James. They quickly realized that it would probably be the best way to catch Pikachu. After all, their previous plans had almost always had little, if any, real thought into them. Perhaps some time off would give them the inspiration, not to mention funds, to put a really effective plot into motion.

"All right," Jessie said finally. "How do we start?"

* * *

Ash and Calem stood with the other Trainers in the stadium. They looked around in awe of the magnificence of the arena, and at the number of people who were watching.

"It's so amazing that all of these people are going to watch our battles," said Ash.

"And it's even more amazing that people all over the world will see them on television," said Calem. "Can you imagine how amazing it would be for people all over the world to witness the moment you become a champion?"

"That would be amazing!" Ash said as he pumped his fist.

"Piikaaa!"

Meanwhile, from the stands, Grace was looking around intently, searching for Calem as she held her camera.

"Where is he?" she asked out loud. "I need to capture this moment so everyone can see it when he becomes a champion!"

"Calm down, mom," said Serena. "You'll have plenty of chances!"

"Hey, you think you could get a picture of Ash while you're at it?" Brock asked. "After all, he could be the winner too!"

"Oh, we'll see about that," said Grace. "Calem is the best trainer in the whole family!"

"Oh, Ash will beat him," Misty said confidently. "He's the best trainer I've ever met!"

"And here comes the torch!"

Immediately, the group stopped their squabbling and looked down towards the battlefield, where a runner was making his way towards the giant torch at the top of the stadium.

"The Sacred Flame of Ho-Oh, the legendary Pokemon that was said to have ended the war and restored life to the valley, and whose flame was found in the forest and guarded ever since, is now being carried to the Silver Stadium platform!" the announcer said.

Ash and the other trainers around him watched in awe as the runner made it to the top of the stairs and lifted his torch towards the giant torch above the platform, causing it to burst into a giant red flame that lit up the entire stadium. All around them, cheers erupted as the spectators watched in awe.

"That's so amazing!" Serena exclaimed.

"It sure is something you don't get to see every day," said Brock.

"I've got to take a photo!" Grace said as she lifted her camera.

Meanwhile, down on the battlefield, Mr. Goodshow had just walked onto the podium and was now speaking.

"Trainers of the Silver Conference! Now that the Sacred Flame of Ho-oh is watching over all of you, battle with honesty, integrity, and honor, so that you will never regret a single moment of your time here!"

As the trainers cheered, Ash gave a casual glance around him to get an idea of what sort of trainers he'd be facing. While he was certain that he could defeat any and all of them, he still wanted to be prepared.

It was then that his eyes made contact with someone he'd been expecting to fight for a long time.

 _Gary…_

His eyes met those of his greatest rival, and for a moment, all other trainers were forgotten. All that mattered was defeating each other. Both of them smiled with determination, ready to finally settle the question of who was the better trainer, once and for all.

Then the moment passed, and both trainers were looking in different directions, as if they had never even noticed each other.

* * *

The next day, every single trainer had gathered around the Pokemon Center to find out who they would be fighting against in the semifinals. Ash and Calem had joined up once again, and along with their friends, they were now searching for their matchups.

"There you are, Ash," Calem said as he pointed upwards. Ash looked as well, and saw himself with two other trainers in the "H" division.

"Oh, okay," Ash said as he looked at the other two people next to him. "So those two must be my opponents?"

"Yep," said Brock. "In the semifinals, each trainer is scored depending on how their battles go. A win gets them three points, a tie grants them one, and a loss means no points. Whoever has the most points moves onto the victory tournament."

"Wow," said Serena. "So, you two need to work really hard in order to gain enough points to move onto the finals, don't you?"

"Yeah, but that won't be too hard," said Calem. "My team has trained a long time for this. We're ready for anything!"

"So are we!" Ash said as he raised his arm towards the sky.

"Pi-Pikachu!"

"That's good to hear," said Grace. "I can't wait to see you battle, Calem!"

"And we're going to root for you, Ash!" Misty said enthusiastically.

"Awesome!" said Ash. "You just watch! I'm going to show everyone here just how it's-"

"Hold it right there!"

Ash stopped talking when he heard the voice. He and his friends then turned to see a young girl with a yellow shirt, a red skirt, and reddish-brown hair tied into pigtails. A vulpix was standing right next to her, eyeing both Ash and Pikachu.

"You're Ash, right?" the girl asked. "Well, even if we're not fighting yet, the battle begins the moment the opponents are chosen!"

Ash stared at the girl in confusion, until the realization struck him. He looked back up to the board where his picture was, and saw the girl's picture in his block, along with the name "Macy" written underneath.

"Oh," he said in understanding as he turned back towards her. "So you're my opponent… Macy?"

"Exactly," Macy said with a smile. "And I wanna see what I'm up against before we begin!"

"Ah," said Calem. "That's actually not a bad plan. I should probably find my opponent and figure out what they're capable of!"

"You go do that," said Ash. "I'm going to go out and train a bit. That way we'll be ready to show Macy here just how tough we are!"

"PikaPika!"

"You've got a fiery-hot spirit, Ash," Macy said with a smirk. "I like to see that in a trainer."

At this, Misty felt another wave of anger. What was it with Ash getting so much attention from girls recently?! Why couldn't they just keep to themselves?!

She then forced herself to calm down. After all, it wasn't like Macy was trying to seduce Ash or anything. She'd just been analyzing him as an opponent to be defeated in battle. Nothing more.

Serena, on the other hand, was feeling a number of emotions she'd never had before. She felt angry that Macy was giving Ash so much attention, worry that her old camp friend would be taken from her before they could have a chance to properly reconnect, apprehension about letting him be around any girl other than her… and confusion as to why she was feeling any of those things in the first place.

"You okay, Serena?"

The honey-blonde haired girl looked up at Calem, who was giving her a worried look. She then looked away and chuckled mareepishly.

"Sorry! Just… thinking to myself."

Calem raised an eyebrow, then looked back towards Ash. A thoughtful look appeared on his face.

 _Could it be?..._

* * *

Later at night, Ash and his friends gathered around the videophone as Ash talked to Professor Oak. They had just finished transferring all of Ash's Pokemon to Silver Town, and were about to end their conversation.

"Well, good luck in the Silver Conference," said Oak.

"Thanks a lot, Professor," said Ash. "See you soon!"

Oak nodded, and the screen went blank. Ash got up to go see Nurse Joy, only to be interrupted.

"Hey, Ash. You ready for your battle?"

Ash looked up to see Calem walking towards him with Serena. Ash smiled as he saw the blue-eyed girl, but frowned when he realized that Grace was not with them.

"So, where's your mom, Serena?" he asked.

"She said she was going to get dinner," said Serena. "She asked me if she wanted to go, but I wanted to get to see what Pokemon Calem's gonna use."

"Oh," said Ash. "Well, we just finished using our videophone, so you can use it if you want."

"There's no need," said Calem. "I called Professor Sycamore up on my Holo Caster."

Ash stared at him in confusion. "Holo Caster?"

"I've heard of those," said Brock. "They're sort of like portable videophones that make holograms."

Calem smiled as he pulled a small, semi-circular device from his pocket. "That's right. The Holo Caster projects the image of whoever you're talking to as a holographic image. It's pretty handy for talking to people on the go."

"Wow!" Ash said as he stared at the device with wide eyes. "That is so cool!"

"Pikaaa!"

"Well, at least now we know what to get you for your next birthday," muttered Misty.

"Togie-togie!"

Calem smiled, and then looked up towards Nurse Joy.

"Nurse Joy, could you look after my Pokemon?"

"Mine too!" Ash added.

"And while you're at it, please look after me too!"

Nurse Joy barely had any time to react before Brock ran up to her and took her by the hands, his eyes sparkling (which was all the more impressive given how they never seemed to open). Joy found herself unable to speak at the man's sudden appearance.

"I know you love to care for Pokemon, but have you noticed that there is a man in front of you who needs to be cared for as well?"

Serena and Calem both stared at the sight with bewilderment on their faces, while Ash just laughed nervously. Misty, however, immediately ran up to Brock and grabbed him by the ear. She then gave a mighty tug and pulled him off.

"GYAAAAHHH!" Brock screamed in pain.

"You keep doing that, and you'll have a genuine reason to need someone to care for you," Misty muttered.

The rest of the group watched as Misty dragged Brock away. Serena and Calem were baffled by what they were seeing, but Ash was just shrugging nervously, while Pikachu was groaning. For a moment nobody spoke, as they were unsure of what they were supposed to say in this case.

"So…" Calem said finally. "Does this happen a lot?"

"You have no idea," said Ash.

* * *

A short while afterwards, Ash, Misty, and Brock were searching through the computer database to find out more about his next opponent. As they opened up her file, they were quite surprised by what they saw.

"So, that's Macy's team?"

Ash stared at the computer screen in surprise. In addition to her Vulpix, she also possessed a Slugma, Houndoom, Magmar, Quilava, and Electabuzz.

"She sure loves fire-types," said Ash.

"Pikaaa," said Pikachu.

"Well, you should probably use your water-type Pokemon," said Misty. "They're the most obvious choice in these circumstances."

"Too obvious," Brock said as he pointed to Electabuzz. "Why else would she have an electric-type on her team?"

The trio looked back at the screen, realizing that it would take a bit more planning to win this battle.

"So, how about we include Phanpy in your team?" asked Brock. "It's the best choice for taking down Electabuzz, and it's also capable of taking on fire-types if necessary."

Ash nodded. "Sounds good to me!"

"So, we should register Phanpy, along with both your Totodile and Kingler," said Brock. "But before we do that, I have an idea that could give us some extra insurance in case Macy manages to take out Phanpy before it can beat Electabuzz."

"Really?" Ash asked. "What would that be?"

Brock smiled as he began to explain what he had in mind. As he continued, Ash and Misty listened intently, and slowly they began to grin as well.

"Brock! That's a brilliant idea!" said Misty.

"That will totally catch her off guard!" Ash said enthusiastically. "I love it!"

"All right," said Brock. "We'll register your Pokemon, and then we'll get up early tomorrow to put our plan into motion!"

"All right!" said Ash as he pumped his fist. "Now we'll be ready for anything!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

* * *

The next day, Macy and her Quilava were practicing below the hill that led to the Pokemon Center. They were fired up and prepared to defeat any Pokemon their opponent threw at them, even if it was a water-type.

"Are you ready, Quilava?" asked Macy. "We're going to win this tournament and show everyone just how awesome fire-type Pokemon are!

"Quilava!" her Pokemon said in agreement.

"Look out!"

The two looked up in surprise, and saw a trio of Voltorb rolling down the hill towards them. Their eyes widened, and they began to run away. Unfortunately, Macy tripped on a piece of loose pavement, and fell to the ground.

"Quil?!" Quilava said in confusion upon seeing that its trainer was no longer with it. It then panicked as it realized that Macy had been left behind.

"HEEELP!"

Quilava turned around to protect her, but before it could, something else rushed past it.

"Chesnaught! Protect her!"

Before Macy could blink, a huge tan pokemon had put its green arms around her. Said arms then expanded, creating a protective shield. She then heard a loud _thunk_ as the three Voltorb collided with the shield, followed by the sound of electricity being released.

As soon as the shocks stopped, the big Pokemon released its arms, revealing three slightly injured and very surprised Voltorb.

"Are you okay?"

Macy looked up in surprise, to see a slightly older boy dressed mostly in blue. He then extended his hand, urging her to take it.

He seemed familiar somehow, but she couldn't remember from where.

"I… I think so," Macy said as she took his hand.

"My name's Calem," the boy said.

"Macy," she said.

"Well, you're lucky we were here," said Calem. "You could have been hurt really bad!"

Macy then looked up at the Pokemon, who was smiling at them both. A smile began to form on her face. Before she could say anything, however, a man came running down the hill, a worried look on his face.

"I'm so sorry!" he said. "I was just training with my Voltorb when they suddenly got out of control and started rolling away, and…"

"We're all fine," said Calem. "But you should be careful. People and Pokemon could have been severely injured!"

As Calem and the man spoke, Macy kept watching him with admiration.

 _So strong, and brave, and handsome! He's so dreamy!_

She then looked upwards with determination.

That's it! I'm going to win the next round, and then once he realizes what a great trainer I am, I'm going to ask him out!

At this moment, she felt a tug on her legs as her Quilava barked at her. She then realized that her next battle was very soon.

 _Of course… first I need to win that battle._

* * *

Not long afterwards, crowds gathered all around the B Stadium, where the match between Ash and Macy was to take place.

"The first semifinal match of the H division is about to begin!" the announcer said as a spinning tile on the stadium scoreboard circulated through several red and green tiles, red for Macy and green for Ash. "The Trainer who chooses first shall now be decided!"

"This is so exciting!" Serena said as she watched from the stands. "I've never seen Ash battle before, so I have no idea what to expect!"

"The two of you sure have been friendly with each other ever since you met," Grace said as she looked towards Serena with interest. "May I ask why that is?"

"That?" Serena asked, a slight hint of nervousness in her voice. "Oh, well, it's a long story. Maybe I can explain later!"

Grace raised an eyebrow, but was prevented from saying anything when the announcer spoke again.

"And the first move goes to Macy from Mahogany Town, with Ash from Pallet Town going after her!"

The two looked up to the scoreboard, where the dial had just stopped on a red tile. They then looked down towards the battlefield, where the referee was now lifting his flags.

"Let the match begin!" yelled the referee.

"Alright!" yelled Macy as she flung a Pokeball. "Go Houndoom! I choose you!"

The Pokeball erupted in a shower of light, revealing a black, doglike Pokemon with backwards-curving horns. Ash smirked, ready for battle.

"I knew you'd choose a fire-type!" he said as he grabbed his own Pokeball. "Totodile! I choose you!"

There was a flash of light, and the big jaw Pokemon emerged, dancing happily as it landed in front of Houndoom.

"The first matchup of the day is between Ash's Totodile and Macy's Houndoom!" said the announcer. On the scoreboard, two of the six team slots were filled in with pictures of Totodile and Houndoom.

"Houndoom!" Macy yelled. "Flamethrower!"

Houndoom opened its mouth and unleashed a huge stream of fire, but Ash and Totodile were ready.

"Dodge and use Water Gun!"

Totodile jumped out of the way of the flames, and then blasted a torrent of water at the black and red Pokemon.

"Block it with Dark Pulse!"

Houndoom stopped breathing fire and instead shot a beam of black and purple energy waves at the small blue pokemon. It then met with the Water Gun and began to push it away, slowly getting closer to its target. Finally, it overpowered the other attack completely and pushed past, smashing right into Totodile.

"Diiiiiile!" it screamed.

"Totodile!" Ash yelled.

"See, my fire-types are trained well to beat any water-types that they encounter!" said Macy. "Now use Dark Pulse again!"

"Hang in there, Totodile!" Ash commanded. "Dodge under the attack and use Water Gun!"

Totodile quickly regained its footing, and then ran towards the incoming Dark Pulse. At the last second, it slid under it, narrowly missing the blast. It then expelled a huge jet of water in the direction of its attacker, where it hit Houndoom with tremendous force.

"And Totodile manages to get an attack from an unexpected angle!" cried the announcer.

"Houndoom!" yelled Macy. In response, her Pokemon managed to get up, although it was quite clear that it wouldn't be able to take much more damage. Macy sighed and picked up its pokeball.

"Return, Houndoom!"

"And Macy is changing Pokemon!"

Houndoom sighed as it was sucked back into its pokeball. Macy looked down at it with a smile, before she pulled out another Pokeball.

"I choose you! Electabuzz!"

There was a flash of light, and a large yellow Pokemon with black stripes emerged.

"Electabuzz!"

"And Macy's second Pokemon is an Electabuzz!" the announcer said as macy's second slot was filled in.

"See? I'm always ready to deal with pesky water-type pokemon!" yelled Macy.

"And I'm ready to deal with pesky electric-type Pokemon!"

Meanwhile, from the benches beside the arena, Pikachu snorted in annoyance.

"Totodile! Return!"

The little blue Pokemon looked back in surprise as it vanished back into its Pokeball. Ash then set it aside and pulled out another ball.

"Phanpy! I choose you!"

With a flash of light, a small blue elephantine Pokemon emerged, wagging its ears happily.

"Phanpy! Phan!"

"And it seems that Ash has substituted his Pokemon to maintain a type advantage!" the announcer said as a picture of Phanpy appeared below Ash on the scoreboard.

"What?!" Macy cried in shock.

Meanwhile, far above the action, Serena was watching the action with great interest.

"So, they're switching out their Pokemon to keep their advantage?" she asked.

"Indeed," said Grace. "Even if one Pokemon is stronger than the other, type advantages can still give the weaker Pokemon the edge. Therefore, It's important to know how types match up to not be caught unaware."

"I see," Serena said quietly. She really hoped she wouldn't become a competitive battler. All that information seemed very hard to remember.

"Electabuzz!" Macy called. "Use Thunderbolt!"

The big yellow Pokemon launched a huge blast of electricity at Phanpy. However, it simply passed harmlessly through the little Pokemon's body.

"And no surprise here, folks," the announcer said. "Electric attacks have no effect on ground-types!"

"Whatever," said Macy as she raised her Pokeball. "Electabuzz! Return!"

Electabuzz grunted as it was returned to its ball. Macy then quickly chose her next Pokemon.

"You're up again, Houndoom!"

She flung her Pokeball towards the field, where it burst open. As Houndoom came back out, it howled out in anticipation.

"This has become a veritable merry-go-round of Pokemon switching!" the announcer said.

"We still have the advantage!" yelled Ash. "Phanpy! Earthquake!"

Phanpy obeyed, and jumped upwards. It then slammed against the ground as hard as it could, sending tremors towards Houndoom. The dark Pokemon yelled out in pain as it was hit by the underground force.

"Wait," said Serena. "So, ground-types have the advantage against fire _and_ electric types?"

"That's right," said Grace. "So that Phanpy has the advantage no matter what Macy switches to."

"That sounds like a big weakness in her team," Serena mused.

"It would appear so," said Grace.

Meanwhile, on the field, Houndoom was starting to get dizzy from the Earthquake. Ash saw an opportunity and took it.

"Phanpy! Use Rollout!"

The long nose Pokemon curled up into a ball and began to roll at Houndoom as fast as it could. It then smashed into it, sending it flying.

"Houndooom!" the dark Pokemon yelled.

"Don't give in!" yelled Macy. "Use Flamethrower!"

With some effort, Houndoom was able to land on its feet. It then opened its mouth and unleashed a huge stream of fire.

"Defense Curl!"

Phanpy curled up again, covering its vulnerable spots as best as it could. It held on as tight as it could as the flames passed around it, protecting itself from receiving too much damage.

"Now use Rollout!"

Phanpy then began to roll as fast as it could, spinning right towards its big black opponent. As the flames from Houndoom's mouth died down, Macy realized the danger it was in, but it was too late.

"No!"

Phanpy slammed into Houndoom, sending it flying across the field. Macy watched helplessly as it landed next to her, clearly unconscious.

"Houndoom is unable to battle! The winner is Phanpy!"

All across the stadium, cheers erupted. On the scoreboard, Houndoom's picture faded to black.

"Yeah!" said Ash. "I knew you could do it, Phanpy!"

"Phan! Phan!"

"Amazing!" said Misty. "It seemed that bringing Phanpy in was a great choice, Brock!"

"Indeed!" said Brock. "And Ash's strategy was also very clever. Using Rollout right after Defense Curl doubles its power, so Houndoom didn't stand a chance!"

Meanwhile, up in the stands, Serena was cheering harder than almost anyone else.

"That was amazing!" she cried. "I can't believe that little guy was able to win on its own!"

"Yep," said Grace. "Very strong."

"Well done, Houndoom," Macy said as she returned her defeated Pokemon to its ball. "You did great."

She then looked back towards Ash and Phanpy and gave them a defiant glare.

"I won't lose!" she yelled as she grabbed another Pokeball. "This is a job for you, Quilava!"

The Pokeball opened as she flung it, revealing a cream and dark green Pokemon.

"Macy's third Pokemon is a Quilava!" the announcer said as Quilava's picture appeared on the scoreboard.

"Let's go, Quilava!" Macy yelled, causing her Pokemon to burst into flames as a result.

"Ash still has the advantage, right?" Serena asked worriedly.

"Yes, fire-types are weak against ground-type attacks," said Grace. "As long as Phanpy can keep going, Ash should be safe."

"Phanpy!" Ash called out. "Rollout!"

Phanpy curled up again and began to roll towards Quilava.

"Counter it with Flame Wheel!" Macy called.

Quilava grunted and began to run towards Phanpy. As it did, its body was wrapped in flames. They got hotter and hotter as it got closer to the little blue Pokemon, until the two crashed into each other.

Then, to Ash's shock, Phanpy was sent flying.

"Phanpy!" Ash yelled out.

Phanpy managed to land on its feet, but it was clear that it was in bad shape.

"Quick! Use Earthquake!" Ash commanded.

"Don't let it!" yelled Macy. "Lava Plume!"

Quilava roared and unleashed a flurry of intensely hot ashes and smoke. Phanpy tried to jump up, but it failed to escape and was pelted by the blazing inferno.

"Phanpy!"

As the smoke cleared, he saw the figure of the long nose Pokemon as it lay on the ground, now unconscious.

"Phanpy is unable to battle!" the referee said. "Quilava is the winner!"

All around the stadium, cheers erupted. On the scoreboard, Phanpy's picture went black.

"Phanpy was a strong battler, but in the end Quilava was just too much for it!" the announcer said.

"Return, Phanpy," Ash said as he recalled his Pokemon. "You did great, so you can take a good rest now."

"I can't believe it!" Misty said in amazement. "That Quilava was able to take down Phanpy!"

"And now Ash has lost his only ground type," said Brock.

"I guess that means it's time to see if that idea of yours pays off," said Misty.

"Pikachuu."

"Togie-togie."

Up in the stands, Serena was beginning to worry.

"Mom? If Ash couldn't win even when he had a type advantage, can he still make it through?"

"Of course he can," Grace said as she watched. "It all depends on whether he can find ways of overcoming his own Pokemon's weaknesses."

Serena was still worried, but she nodded and looked back to the field.

"All right," said Ash as he grabbed one of his Pokeballs. "Kingler! I choose you!"

With a flash of light, a big red crablike Pokemon emerged. It grinned as it showed off its pincers, ready to face whatever challenge it was facing.

"Kokee, kokee," it said.

"And Ash's third Pokemon is a powerful-looking Kingler!" the announcer said as Kingler's picture appeared on the scoreboard.

Macey frowned. Quilava wasn't exactly the best for fighting against water-types. Fortunately for her, she still had her Electabuzz.

"Quilava, return," she said as she recalled the volcano Pokemon. She then grinned as she pulled out another Pokeball.

"I choose you! Electabuzz!"

As she flung out her Pokeball, it burst open, revealing the electric Pokemon once again.

"Electabuzz!"

"And now all Ash has left are two water-type Pokemon!" the announcer said. "Do either of them stand a chance against this Electabuzz?"

"Too bad for you, Ash," she said with a smirk. "You spent all your time preparing for a fight against fire-type Pokemon, and now your whole team is weak against my Electabuzz. You should just quit now so that you don't put your Pokemon through the pain of losing."

For a moment, Ash said nothing; he simply stared at Macy with an unreadable gaze. All around the stadium, people watched, wondering if there was any hope for Ash. And among them, a young girl with honey-blonde hair was feeling extremely worried.

Then, Ash did something unexpected; he smirked right back at Macy.

"Oh, Macy. Do you really think you're the only one who thinks about ways to cover their weaknesses?"

Macy gritted her teeth. She was going to win this battle!

"Electabuzz! Zap them with Thunderbolt!"

Electabuzz was happy to oblige, and set off a huge bolt of electricity.

"Dodge it!" Ash yelled. Kingler nodded, and smashed its pincers into the ground, flinging itself into the air and out of harm's way.

"Okay!" yelled Macy. "Try a Thunder Punch!

As Kingler began to fall back to Earth, Electabuzz ran towards its, determined to smack it as soon it hit the ground. Unbeknownst to either it or its trainer, however, this was exactly what they wanted.

"Kingler! Mud Sport!"

"What?!"

Kingler opened its pincer and blasted out a huge blob of mud straight at Electabuzz. The big yellow Pokemon had been so determined to defeat the pincer Pokemon that it was unable to stop in time, and was thus covered from head to toe in mud.

"Electabuzz!" Macy yelled.

"Oh my, that was clever!" Grace said in awe.

"What was?" asked Serena.

"Kokee!" Kingler laughed as it landed in a big pile of mud. Macy glared at it, then looked at Electabuzz."

"Use Thunder Punch!"

Electabuzz yelled out as it began to charge up an electrified fist. Ash grinned and looked towards Kingler.

"Use Crabhammer!"

Kingler grinned, and lifted its large pincer to attack. Electabuzz roared as it launched its fist into the big red Pokemon's face, scoring a direct hit.

To its shock, Kingler seemed unharmed. In fact, the punch had actually been more painful to _Electabuzz_ than to its opponent! The pincer Pokemon grinned mischievously, and slammed its giant pincer into its opponent's stomach, knocking it back several feet.

"What?!" Macy cried out in shock as she watched Electabuzz clutch its belly in pain. "That's impossible! Electabuzz should have knocked it out! What's going on?!"

As if on cue, the announcer began to speak.

"I understand now! Mud Sport is an attack that suppresses the power of all electric-type attacks! Now that Electabuzz has been coated in all that mud, its greatest advantage against Ash's Kingler has been completely ruined!"

Macy's heart sank when she heard that. Electabuzz had always been the one to save her whenever she had to go up against water-type Pokemon, but now it had been crippled.

"No… NO!" she screamed. "Electabuzz! Thunderbolt!"

Nervously, Electabuzz closed its eyes, clenched its fists, and attempted to let its electricity loose. However, all that managed to make it through the thick mud coat were a few sparks. Even this was too much, and it fell on one knee, exhausted by the effort. Ash smirked as he saw this.

"All right, Kingler! Use Vice Grip!"

Kingler ran up and grabbed Electabuzz in its large pincer, lifted it high, and then slammed it into the ground. But it still wasn't done; it lifted it back up again and slammed it a second time, and then tossed it into the air.

"Finish it with Hyper Beam!"

Kingler quickly gathered energy in its big pincer, and then pointed the glowing pincer at the falling Electabuzz. It then let out a triumphant roar as it let loose a huge beam of pure energy. Electabuzz barely had time to notice before it was engulfed in a blinding glow of light.

"Electabuzz!"

The electric Pokemon fell to the ground, utterly defeated by Kingler's unexpected tactic.

"Electabuzz is unable to battle!" the referee said. "Kingler is the winner!"

Everyone cheered at the unexpected outcome of the battle. Meanwhile, Serena was breathing a sigh of relief.

"At least he was able to make it all work in the end," she said happily.

"What did I tell you," said Grace. "As long as Ash can cover his Pokemon's weaknesses, he'll pull through."

"What an upset!" the announcer shouted as Electabuzz's scoreboard picture went black. "It seemed as if Kingler was certainly doomed, but with the help of some clever strategizing by Ash, it was able to win despite the type mismatch!"

Macy grimaced. All she had left was her Quilava, and Ash still had two water-type Pokemon. There was absolutely no way she could defeat both of them. So what could she do?

She gritted her teeth. She couldn't quit. Only losers quit.

"Okay, Quilava!" she said as she tossed her final Pokeball. "You're up!"

* * *

"Come one, come all! Get your Limited Edition Silver Conference Badges! Only for a limited time!"

Jessie smiled as children crowded around her, eager to buy her counterfeit badges. She then turned towards James and Meowth, who were busy painting bottle caps.

"I need more badges! Step on it!"

"Okie-Dokie!" said Meowth. "It's amazing that these useless old bottlecaps actually came in handy for once!"

"Excuse me!" James said indignantly. "My bottlecap collection goes back years! I have spent extraordinary amounts of effort putting it together! You should have a greater appreciation for this collection of treasures!"

"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet said as it emerged from its Pokeball.

* * *

Back at the stadium, Ash was feeling confident as Kingler stared down Quilava. While he knew that the pincer Pokemon could probably still win, he felt that it deserved a bit of a rest.

"Kingler, you've done well," he said as he lifted its Pokeball. "Take a break for now."

Kingler nodded as it was sucked back into its ball. Ash smiled and picked up another ball.

"Totodile! I choose you!"

With a flash of light, the little crocodilian pokemon emerged. It did a happy little dance as it emerged, ready to fight once more.

"Totodile!"

"And Ash decides to give Kingler a break, and Totodile is back in the game!" the announcer said. "Is there any hope left for Macy?"

"Yes there is!" said Macy. "Swift attack!"

Quilava unleashed a barrage of star-shaped rays, which flew at Totodile.

"Block it with Water Gun!"

Totodile blasted out a large volume of water straight at the Swift. Both attacks collided, causing a huge explosion that sent water droplets everywhere. Quilava winced as it was sprinkled, but did not yield.

"Use Water Gun again!" Ash yelled.

"Quilava!" Macy called. "Block it with Flame Wheel, then attack!"

Quilava's began to charge towards Totodile. Just as Totodile unleashed its Water Gun, the volcano pokemon was wrapped in flames, causing the water to evaporate on contact.

"What?!" Ash yelled.

Totodile was caught off guard as Quilava slammed into it. It cried out in pain, but Macy wasn't going to give it any chance to recover.

"Quick Attack!"

Quilava charged at Totodile, sending it flying across the stadium floor.

"Diiile!" the big jaw pokemon screamed.

"Totodile!" Ash yelled. "Hang in there!"

"Toto!" it said as it got back to its feet.

"Use Flame Wheel again!" Macy yelled.

Ash gritted his teeth. He knew that Quilava could evaporate any water-type attack as long as it was using its Flame Wheel attack. Thus, the only way to hit it would be to wait until it had finished.

Suddenly, an idea came to him.

"Totodile!" he yelled. "Use Bite and hang onto Quilava!"

Totodile lunged at Quilava, taking it by surprise as it grabbed onto its head.

"Lavaaa!" Quilava yelled as it tried to shake off its opponent. Meanwhile, Totodile was in pain from the flames surrounding it, but refused to give in.

"Get that Totodile off of you!" Macy yelled.

"Don't give up, Totodile!" Ash yelled.

Quilava kept shaking as hard as it could, desperately trying to throw Totodile off. Finally, with a huge amount of effort, it flung the big jaw Pokemon off. However, it had let its flames go out in the process, leaving it exposed.

"Water Gun!" Ash yelled.

Totodile roared and blasted Quilava with water, drenching it from head to toe. The volcano Pokemon yelled in pain, before collapsing to the floor, unconscious.

"No!" Macy yelled. "Quilava!"

"Quilava is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "The winner is Totodile!"

"And the victory goes to Ash of Pallet Town!" the announcer yelled.

"Yes!" Ash said. "We did it, Totodile!"

"Totodile!" the little blue Pokemon said happily.

Macy sighed, and returned Quilava to its Pokeball.

"Well done, Quilava. You take a rest now."

All around the stadium, people cheered in excitement. Up in the stands, Serena was jumping for joy.

"He did it! Ash won!"

"Well, aren't you excited," said Grace. "You really get along well with that Ash kid, don't you?"

Serena realized what she was doing and quickly sat back down in embarrassment.

Meanwhile, down on the battlefield, Brock, Misty, and Pikachu had all gone up to congratulate Ash.

"Well done, Ash!" said Brock. "Kingler's Mud Sport was absolutely perfect!"

"Thanks, Brock," said Ash. "If it weren't for you, I'd never have thought about teaching Kingler to use that move, and I could have lost!"

"Ash!"

Ash looked away from his friends and saw Macy walking up to him.

"Thanks for that battle! Not only was it a lot of fun, but I learned a lot about what I need to watch out for next time I fight a water Pokemon team!"

"You're welcome," Ash said as he held out his hand. "You were really strong too."

Macy nodded, and she shook Ash's hand with a smile.

 _Well, I may not have managed to win, but that doesn't mean I don't have a chance to impress Calem!_

* * *

Several hours later, Ash and his friends had gathered to have dinner at the Pokemon Center. They were not alone, however, as Calem, Serena, and Grace had decided to join them. They were all eating together as they discussed the battles they had participated in, as well as the ones that lie ahead.

"So, we both have three points now," Calem said as he picked at his food with his fork. "We may very well be able to make it to the finals!"

"Yeah!" Ash said as he grabbed another roll of bread. "If we both make it, we might even end up facing each other!"

"That would be something interesting to see," said Brock. "You're both skilled battlers, so it would be a real challenge for both of you!"

Serena looked downwards as she thought about what they were saying. She loved Calem, and wanted him to do as well as he could. He was family, after all. But Ash was one of the best friends she'd ever had either in Kanto or Kalos. And wishing for him to lose when they had just managed to find each other again felt wrong. So what was she supposed to do?

"Serena? You okay?"

The honey-blonde haired girl was snapped out of her thoughts when Calem addressed her. She then realized that everyone else was now looking at her, and smiled mareepishly.

"Sorry," she said. "I was… just worried about you and Ash battling."

"Why do you care about Ash so much?" Misty asked with an annoyed tone. "You didn't even know him until a few days ago."

"You know, I'm curious about that too," said Grace. "I mean, I'm glad you've made a new friend, but you're acting as if you've been friends for years!"

"Well, we have!"

Immediately, everyone went silent. Grace, Brock, and Togepi simply looked surprised by the revelation, while Misty looked utterly shocked. Calem, on the other hand, was grinning, as if his suspicions had finally been confirmed.

The only exceptions were Ash and Pikachu, who were continuing to chow down on their food obliviously. However, after a moment the two realized that everyone was reacting, and paused.

"Oh wow," Ash said. "I just realized that we never told anyone."

"Pikaa," Pikachu muttered.

"Huh," said Calem. "I had a feeling that the shared catchphrase was more than a coincidence."

"So, you mean you two knew each other since before this?" asked Brock.

"Well, yeah," Serena replied, before looking at Ash. "Should I go on?"

Ash shrugged. "I don't see why not. I think they have the right to know."

Serena smiled, and looked back at everyone else. "You see, several years ago, at Professor Oak's Summer Camp…"

* * *

 ** _A/N: Well, there you have it! Ash and Calem have both won battles, Misty is jealous, and Macy has not crushed on Ash! To be honest, I was actually considering having her crush on him like in canon so she's have a mini-rivalry with Serena, but then I realized that I had no idea how to implement it. So instead we have this._**

 ** _Also, I tried to make Ash's battle with Macy different than canon (The same will happen with his battle against Gary, BTW). In particular, I decided to see how it would be affected if Kingler was Ash's second water-type instead of Squirtle. Don't worry about our favorite non-ninja turtle, though! He'll get his chance for glory really soon!_**

 ** _Next time, we see another battle, but it won't be Ash's! Also, some old faces!_**


	4. Trainers From Faraway Lands

It was an exciting day for Ash and Calem. They both were about to take part in their last semifinal battles. They had both won their first battles, and needed to either tie or win to pass to the final rounds. As they sat at the breakfast table, they discussed their imminent battles as they ate.

"So, what do you think, Ash?" said Calem as he took another bite out of his pancakes. "Are you excited to pass on to the Victory Tournament?"

Ash nodded and put down a cup of Moomoo milk. "Oh yeah! And you bet that I'm going to win!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

"Well, aren't you confident?" said Brock as he grabbed an apple. "Just make sure you don't get overconfident when you face off against your next opponent."

Serena looked up at Ash curiously. "So, who is you next opponent, Ash?"

"Some guy from New Bark Town called Vincent Jackson," said Ash. "I'm pretty sure I can beat him, though!"

"Really?" Grace asked. "What kind of trainer is he?"

At this, Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu all sweatdropped.

"Well…" Ash began.

* * *

 _Macy glared at her opponent as she stood on the battlefield. He was a boy with a blue shirt, tan pants, brown hair, and a black cape. He was smiling confidently as he stepped out onto the battlefield._

 _He then jumped up to the camera and began to squeal._

 _"Hi mom! Dad! Jimmy! Marina! I'm on TV!"_

 _The entire stadium went silent. All that could be heard were a few murmurs, as well as Vincent's enthusiastic gushing._

 _"Wish me luck, guys!" Vincent said with a smile… before he promptly tripped on his cape and fell to the floor._

* * *

"...And then, at the end of his battle, he tripped again, and that caused him to lose."

"Wait," Calem interrupted. "You're fighting _him_?!"

Ash blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"The Silver Conference Jester," explained Serena. "It's been all over the internet. PidgeyTalk, MewTube, TrainerBook, you name it."

"The poor kid," said Grace. "He's never going to live this down."

"Oh, yeah, poor kid," said Calem. Privately, however, he grabbed his Holo Caster, logged into his PidgeyTalk account, and began to type.

 _I feel bad for my new friend. Poor guy has to fight the #SilverConferenceJester_

Meanwhile, Misty hadn't said anything. She was still shocked by the revelation that Ash and Serena had known each other for far longer than she had believed. This, coupled with the realization that the two got along really well, had left her greatly troubled.

She had always assumed that she had been Ash's first female friend. Admittedly, this was partly because she had never heard him mention any other friends who were girls, but she'd always thought that if he did, he'd have at least mentioned them once.

Although, now that she thought about it, he had hardly ever mentioned _anything_ about his past.

Given that Misty had assumed that to be the case, she had always believed Ash's obliviousness to the beauty of other girls to be youthful ignorance about such things. Thus, she figured that he would never fall for any other girl until he was much older, at which point he would eventually fall for the one girl who had known him the longest.

Except that now, it turned out that Ash had fallen for the one girl he'd known the longest. And it wasn't her.

"Hey, Misty? Are you okay?"

The orange-haired girl was broken out of her thoughts when Ash spoke to her. She looked up in surprise, and realized that everyone was now looking at her.

"Oh!" she said nervously. "Nothing! Don't worry! I'm doing just fine! Why wouldn't I be fine?!"

The rest of the group looked at her in confusion, but shrugged and went back to their food. As inconspicuously as she could, Misty let out a sigh.

"Toge-Priii?"

Misty smiled sadly as she embraced Togepi.

"I'll be fine," she said. "Don't worry about me, Togepi."

* * *

A man panted as he ran to the vending machines. He needed to get a drink before the match started, and he was running out of time.

Luckily, he soon saw a machine right in front of him. Smiling, he pulled out his wallet and inserted a bill into the slot.

"Please make your selection."

The man reached for the lemonade button. However, before he could press it, the machine spoke again.

"No, not that one, you idiot!"

The man raised an eyebrow. He didn't remember the machines ever doing this. Oh well, perhaps this was a new model. Shrugging, he reached for the soda pop button.

"No that either! Way too much sugar!"

The man frowned. The machine was being most disagreeable. Tentatively, he reached for the last button.

"Seriously?! Fresh water?! I'm giving you a 7.8 out of 10!"

To the man's shock, the machine began to spew bottles of water all over the place. He yelled in shock and turned around, running as fast as he could.

As soon as the man had disappeared, the machine began to glow. Then, out of the coin slot, a strange blob of orange energy slowly leaked out. As it emerged, it began to reshape itself into something slightly more defined. If an observer were asked to describe it, they may have said that it looked like a spinning top. The central part remained orange, but the surrounding material turned into a strange, light blue plasma. Finally, in the center, it had two blue eyes and a small, mischievous smile.

It had to admit, life on Torom island had been awfully dull lately. True, there were plenty of old appliances to play with, but the people had, to an extent, gotten used to its antics. And honestly, there weren't that many people to begin with, and so it had quickly gotten bored of using the same old tactics on the same people over and over again. But it had gotten lucky when that one boat it had sneaked onto had sailed out, taking it off to a faraway land. And here there were plenty of people, all just begging to be shocked, both literally and figuratively!

With a smirk, it floated off, excited to find someone else to prank.

* * *

Calem grinned as he walked onto the field. He was going to win this battle and move onto the finals, no matter what. His family was watching! He couldn't fail them!

"The final semifinal match of the E division is about to begin!" the announcer said. On the scoreboard, a picture of Calem appeared, as well a one of his opponent, a trainer with brown hair from the Hoenn region.

"The trainer who chooses first shall now be decided!" the announcer said, as the on-screen spinwheel began to rotate between red and green, with Calem being green while his opponent was red. For a moment, the wheel spinned, before it finally stopped on a green tile.

"The first move goes to Calem of Aquacorde Town, with Harrison of Littleroot Town following!"

Calem smirked as he chose a pokeball. "Let's go! Chesnaught!"

With a flash of light, his starter Pokemon was released. It smashed its fists together as it emerged, ready to fight whatever its opponent was. Upon seeing what he was facing, Harrison smiled.

"I'm ready for this!" he said. "Let's go, Blaziken!"

He flung a pokeball as hard as he could onto the battlefield, where it unleashed a tall red Pokemon with white feathers and sharp claws. The blaze Pokemon yelled out, prepared for battle.

"Our first matchup is between two Pokemon foreign to the Johto region!" the announcer exclaimed as the two highest team slots were filled in by pictures of the two fighting-types. "Blaziken and Chesnaught are the evolutions of starter Pokemon from the Hoenn and Kalos regions, respectively! Although it seems that Calem has the disadvantage here!"

Up in the stands, Serena, Grace, Ash, Brock, and Misty watched with fascination. Ash had tried to check Blaziken's Pokedex information, but came up with a blank page.

"Wow," he said. "So that Pokemon is from the Hoenn Region?"

"This Harrison guy has three points too, right?" Brock asked.

"Yes," said Grace. "Therefore, Calem has to win this match to move on. He can't afford to lose."

"And he's facing a Pokemon with a type advantage," Serena said worriedly.

"Don't worry, Serena," Ash reassured her. "I had a disadvantage too, and I still managed to work around it, remember?"

Serena turned to Ash and smiled, casing Ash's cheeks to glow red.

"Thanks, Ash."

Meanwhile, back on the field, Calem was smiling. Just because he had a type disadvantage didn't mean he was doomed yet.

"Let the match begin!" the referee yelled.

"Let's go!" said Calem. "Seed Bomb!"

Chesnaught fired off a barrage of seeds, which headed straight for Blaziken.

"Burn them with Flamethrower!"

The blaze Pokemon's wrists burst into flames as it unleashed a huge blast of fire, which incinerated all the exploding seeds.

"Now use Fire Punch!"

Blaziken's fist burst into flames, and it charged towards Chesnaught. Calem was ready, however.

"Mud Shot!"

Chesnaught blasted out a stream of mud at Blaziken, who was unable to get out of the way in time. It yelped in pain as it was hit by the super-effective hit, but continued to press forward.

"Don't give up, Blaziken!" Harrison yelled. "You can make it!"

Blaziken grunted affirmatively, and continued to press towards Chesnaught. Despite the difficulty, it managed to reach the spiny armor Pokemon, and slammed its fiery fist into its chest.

"Chesss!"

"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "Drain Punch!"

"Dodge it!"

Chesnaught flung a glowing arm in Blaziken's direction, only for it to jump out of the way before it could make contact.

"Now use High Jump Kick!"

Blaziken jumped into the air, its foot glowing as it launched itself towards Chesnaught.

"Spiky Shield!"

Chesnaught didn't need to be told twice. Not wasting a single second, it put its arms together and shielded itself. It had barely managed to complete the move when Blaziken smashed itself into the shield.

"Blaaaazikeeeen!"

While High Jump Kick was a powerful attack, missing would mean the user would crash, taking damage in the process. And hitting a shield covered in spikes was not exactly the best place to land. As a result, the blaze Pokemon had taken extreme damage.

"Blaziken!" Harrison yelled as his partner landed, wincing in pain. However, a red aura began to manifest itself around it, causing its wrist flames to grow in size. All around the stadium, gasps could be heard.

"It appears that Blaziken's Blaze ability has been activated!" the announcer exclaimed.

"Blaze?" Ash questioned.

"It increases the amount of damage done by fire-type attacks when the user has taken heavy damage," explained Brock. "I believe it's the standard ability of fire-type starter Pokemon."

"So its next attack could potentially take Chesnaught out!" Serena said in realization.

 _This is bad,_ Calem thought. _I have to end it quickly!_

Chesnaught assumed a fighting pose. It knew that its next order could be the deciding factor.

"Finish it!" Calem yelled. "Drain Punch!"

"Flamethrower!"

As Chesnaught ran towards its opponent, Blaziken opened its mouth and unleashed a massive blast of flames. The spiny armor Pokemon screamed in pain as the blaze made contact, but just as its opponent had done with the Mud Shot, it gritted its teeth and ran through the fire, determined to win.

The powerful fire-type kept spewing fire mercilessly, assured of its victory. However, just when it seemed as if it was all over, a figure began to emerge from the flames. Blaziken's eyes had just enough time to widen before Chesnaught's fist slammed into its face.

"Blaziken!" Harrison yelled.

The blaze pokemon fell over, defeated. Standing above it was Chesnaught, badly injured and panting heavily, but triumphant.

"Blaziken is unable to battle!" the referee said. "Chesnaught is the winner!"

"Yes!" Ash said.

"He did it!" Serena cheered.

An amazing performance from Chesnaught!" the announcer said, impressed by the performance. "Even with such a disadvantage, it was able to emerge victorious!"

"You did it!" Calem said proudly. His partner turned around to give him a thumbs up.

"Well done, Blaziken," Harrison said as he returned his Pokemon. "Now let's see how you deal with this!"

He grabbed another Pokeball and tossed it out.

"Hypno! I choose you!"

A yellow pokemon with a long nose emerged from the Pokeball, ready to fight.

And it appears that Hypno is Harrison's second choice!" the announcer said as Hypno's picture appeared beneath Harrison's picture.

Hypno glared at its opponent with determination. Chesnaught smirked right back, its body slowly beginning to glow with green energy.

"It looks like all that fire caused Chesnaught's Overgrow Ability to activate as well!" the announcer commented.

"That's similar to Blaze, only for grass-types," said Brock.

"So Chesnaught's attacks will be powered up as well!" said Serena.

"He might be able to take out Hypno too!" said Misty.

Back on the field, Calem began his command.

"Seed Bomb!"

Chesnaught fired a barrage of seeds towards its opponent.

"Block them with Reflect!"

Hypno's eyes glowed as it created a barrier of psychic energy. The seeds landed all around it, creating huge explosions, but most of the damage was blocked out.

"Mud Shot!" Calem yelled.

Chesnaught fired a stream of mud at the hypnosis Pokemon, taking it by surprise. While it did relatively little damage, it did cause it to drop its Reflect.

"Now Seed Bomb!"

Chesnaught fired off another barrage of seeds, one of which managed to land a direct hit on Hypno. It cried out in pain, but managed to stand its ground.

"Hypno! Use Psybeam!"

"Spiky Shield!"

Chesnaught lifted its arms to protect itself just as its opponent fired a multicolored beam. The shield managed to hold strong as it was hit by the psychic energy. However, the spiny armor Pokemon was beginning to show signs of fatigue.

"Now's our chance!" Harrison yelled. "Hypnosis!"

Hypno spun it's pendulum as it unleashed a series of psychic waves at Chesnaught. The large green Pokémon was too tired to block it, and fell asleep.

"No! Chesnaught!"

"Finish it with Dream Eater!"

Hypno lifted its hand, which began to glow with red energy. It then shot at its opponent, causing it to scream out in pain.

"No!" Serena yelled.

"Chesnaught!" Ash yelled.

The bulky Pokemon shook for a moment, and then went limp. It's eyes turned to swirls as the energy was sucked back into Hypno.

"Chesnaught is unable to battle!" the referee yelled. "Hypno is the winner!"

"It looks like Chesnaught was just too damaged from the previous attack!" said the announcer as Chesnaught's picture turned black. "Now both trainers have lost one Pokemon each!"

Calem smiled as he returned his Chesnaught. "Well done, buddy. You helped a lot."

He then grabbed another Pokeball and tossed it. It burst open, revealing a black pokemon with sharp claws, long red ear and tail feathers, a red collar and headdress, and a sinister smirk.

"Calem's second Pokemon is a Weavile!" the announced as the second Pokemon spot was filled in.

Ash blinked. The pokemon looked very familiar, but it was also undeniably unique.

"Who's that Pokemon?" he wondered as he pulled out his Pokedex.

"Weavile," the Pokedex said. "The Sharp Claw Pokémon, and the evolved form of Sneasel. It signals its companions by using its claws to leave mysterious markings on the surfaces of trees and ice."

"So Calem's Sneasel evolved?" Misty asked.

"Well, it should definitely be able to take out that Hypno," said Brock. "As a dark-type, it has a big advantage over Psychic types."

"You can do it, Calem!" Serena shouted.

"Okay!" said Calem. "Weavile! Use Ice Shard!"

The black Pokemon grinned as it began to rapidly fling sharpened pieces of ice.

"Send them back with Psychic!" Harrison ordered. His Pokemon nodded, and its eyes glowed blue as it redirected all the shards back towards Weavile.

"Dodge them!"

Weavile quickly jumped out of the way as its own attack was flung towards it. Despite Hypno's best efforts, it was able to dodge every shard with minimal effort.

"Hypno!" Harrison yelled. "Use Brick Break!"

The hypnosis Pokemon rushed towards its opponent, ready to hit it with a super-effective hit. However, Weavile dodged with lightning-fast agility, laughing as it did so.

"Wow, folks!" the announcer exclaimed. "That Weavile is amazingly fast!"

Weavile smirked as it rushed out of its opponent's grasp again, watching as the yellow psychic-type began to show signs of fatigue. It would not be long now.

"Try another Brick Break!" Harrison yelled.

The hypnosis Pokemon gritted its teeth as it lifted its fist once again. However, before it could make contact, the sharp claw Pokemon rushed out from below. Hypno's arm smashed into the ground so hard that, to its shock, it was unable to pull it back out.

Calem smirked. It was time to end it.

"Weavile!" he yelled. "Night Slash!"

Weavile's claws extended out and were coated with purple energy. It then lunged at Hypno, determined to inflict massive damage. Hypno's eyes widened as it realized what was happening, but it was unable to pull its arm out, and so it was unable to avoid being slashed across the chest.

"Hypnooooo!" it yelled out in pain, before it collapsed to the floor unconscious. As Hypno fainted, the sharp claw pokemon cackled and bounced around in celebration.

"Hypno is unable to battle!" The referee said. "Weavile is the winner!"

"What an impressive battle!" the announcer said as Hypno's picture faded away. "Now Harrison has only one Pokemon left!"

"Return, Hypno," Harrison said as he recalled his Pokemon. "You did very well."

He then looked down at his final Pokeball. It all depended on this last Pokemon. Smiling, he took it in his hand and tossed it upwards.

"I choose you! Steelix!"

With a burst of light, a huge metallic Pokemon was released onto the battlefield. It roared as it landed, ready to gain victory for its trainer.

"Harrison has now called upon his final Pokemon: a Steelix!" the announcer said as Steelix's picture appeared in Harrison's final team picture.

"A steel type," Brock mused. "Weavile is part ice type, so it's at a disadvantage again!"

"Maybe," said Ash. "But I know he can win!"

"I sure hope so," Serena said nervously.

"Weavile!" Calem yelled. "Ice Shard!"

Weavile began to launch sharp shards at the huge Pokemon. While many of them managed to hit it, they didn't seem to do a lot of damage.

"That Steelix is very tough!" the announcer exclaimed. "Those Ice Shards aren't doing a thing!"

"Alright!" Calem yelled. "Now use Ice Punch!"

"Intercept it with Iron Tail!"

Steelix's tail began to glow as it lifted it into the air. It then swung it as hard as it could at the Pokemon that was now rushing towards it with a frozen fist. However, before the attack could connect, Weavile jumped out of the way, landing right on top of the iron snake Pokemon's head and smacking it as hard as it could.

"Steelix!" Harrison called out. "Knock it off with Sandstorm!"

Despite the damage it had taken, Steelix seemed almost unaffected. It roared as it unleashed a tornado of sand around its body. Weavile tried to hold on, but the sand relentlessly pelted it, eventually forcing it off its opponent.

Calem frowned. Weavile needed to start inflicting some serious damage if it intended to take down this Pokemon.

"Weavile!" he called out. "Dig!"

The sharp claw pokemon nodded, and dove for the ground. Unfortunately, this was precisely what Harrison wanted.

"Earthquake!"

Steelix smashed its body against the floor, causing a huge shockwave to spread out around the arena. The ground below it cracked as Weavile was forced out, screeching in pain.

"Weavile!" Calem yelled.

"Finish it with Iron Tail!" Harrison yelled.

Steelix smirked as its tail glowed once again. This time Weavile had no way to dodge.

The sharp claw pokemon was smashed with extreme force by its opponent's metallic tail. It screamed as it flew across the field, finally landing on the ground next to Calem.

"Weavile!" he yelled, to no avail.

"Weavile is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Steelix is the winner!"

"Weavile's speed was no match for Steelix's powerful defense!" the referee said as Weavile's picture went black. "And now both trainers are down to their last Pokemon!"

Calem took a deep breath. Everything now depended on his final Pokemon. He could not afford to make a single mistake.

"Let's go!" he said as he flung his Pokeball. "Gyarados!"

The Pokeball opened, releasing a large blue sepentlike Pokemon. It roared as it floated through the air and came face to face with Steelix.

"And Calem's final Pokemon is a Gyarados!" said the announcer as the atrocious Pokemon's picture appeared on the screen."

"That's a Gyarados!" Grace said, clearly impressed by Calem's final Pokemon.

"Steelix is part ground, so it's weak to water," said Brock. "But its defense is very good, so it's still going to be a hard battle for Calem."

"Don't give up, Calem!" Ash yelled.

"You can do it!" Serena yelled.

Calem breathed deeply. It all depended on Gyarados.

"Gyarados!" he yelled. "Dragon Rage!"

The powerful water type unleashed a burst of blue fire, which hit Steelix head on. It shook its head in pain, but it seemed mostly unaffected.

"Steelix!" Harrison called. "Use Stone Edge!"

Steelix unleashed a large number of sharp rocks and began to fling them at Gyarados. A few of them met their mark, causing it to roar in pain.

"Hold on, Gyarados!" Calem called. "Use Waterfall!"

"Counter it with Iron Tail!"

Gyarados charged at Steelix, its body now covered with water. The iron snake Pokemon lifted its tail in anticipation, which was now glowing brightly.

"Now!"

Steelix swung its tail as hard as it could, hitting its opponent head on. Even though it winced in pain due to the water, the pain was minor compared to what it could have been.

"Now use Stone Edge!"

Steelix shot out dozens of sharp rocks at close range. They were enough to push Gyarados back as it roared in pain.

"Gyaaaa!"

"Gyarados seems to be in pain!" the announcer commented. "Will it be able to break through Steelix's rock solid defense?!"

"You bet!" Calem yelled. "Gyarados! Use Earthquake!"

Gyarados winced, but it was still able to strike the ground with its tail. The resulting shockwave headed straight for its opponent, causing its eyes to widen in shock as the ground below it shifted.

"Dragon Dance!"

As Steelix was temporarily incapacitated by the shifting dirt, Gyarados danced in a frenzy, causing its body to be filled with energy.

"Now use Waterfall! Full power!"

Gyarados' body was shrouded with water once again, and it began to charge at Steelix. Harrison's eyes widened as the serpentlike beast charged towards his Pokemon.

"Stop it with Stone Edge!"

Steelix fired off another round of sharp rocks, However, with the additional speed provided by the Dragon Dance, Gyarados was able to dodge them all. Then, with a mighty roar, it smashed into Steelix with as much strength as it could muster.

"Steeeel!"

Gyarados rushed back after executing its attack. As it looked backwards, it was shocked to see that Steelix was still standing even after the powered-up Waterfall. It then looked at its trainer, who seemed just as shocked.

"How tough is that thing?!" he yelled.

Harrison frowned. He had no intention of losing.

"Okay, Steelix! This time we're going for broke! Hyper Beam!"

Calem's eyes narrowed as Steelix began to gather energy in its mouth. It was time to end it.

"Fire back with your own Hyper Beam!"

Gyarados roared, and began to gather energy as well. For a moment, both combatants collected energy into identical spheres of whitish yellow energy.

"This is amazing!" the announcer exclaimed. "We're going to see a clash of real power now!"

As soon as the announcer finished, both Pokemon finished their charging, and simultaneously unleashed a pair of enormous beams of energy. The two beams met in the middle of the arena, smashing together and unleashing sparks of energy everywhere. People all around the stadium had to cover their eyes due to the intense light.

"I can't see!" Misty yelled.

"Is Calem going to win?!" yelled Serena.

"This could be the end, folks!" the announcer exclaimed.

Calem gritted his teeth. He would not lose when he'd come this far!

"Gyarados! Give it every bit of energy you've got!"

The atrocious Pokemon was beginning to sweat, but it nevertheless obeyed its trainer, pushing more and more energy into its attack. For a moment, it seemed as if the stalemate would never end, and the two would be tired out before anyone managed to win.

However, at that moment, Gyarados' beam began to push the opposing beam backwards. Beginning slowly, it picked up speed, until it was painfully clear to Harrison that Steelix was about to lose.

"Steelix!" he yelled. At that moment, his Pokemon's beam dissipated, allowing the opposing blast to smash into it at full power.

"And Gyarados has come out as the victor, folks!" the announcer said.

As the light died down and the dust settled, the figure of Steelix came into view. The sheer force of the blast, combined with its own exhaustion, had resulted in it being knocked out. On the other hand, Gyarados was floating on the other side, exhausted but triumphant.

"Steelix is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Gyarados is the winner!"

"And the match goes to Calem of Aquacorde town!" the announcer declared as Calem's picture took over the scoreboard. All around the stadium, cheers erupted. Most important of all, five People were celebrating.

"He did it!" Serena cheered. "Calem won!"

"All right!" Ash said happily. "Now he can move on!"

"What did I tell you?" said Grace. "He's going to do really well in this conference!"

"That's amazing," said Misty. "You might even end up fighting him, Ash!"

Ash grinned and turned towards Pikachu. "Well, even if we do, we're gonna beat him. Right buddy?"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

Meanwhile, back on the field, Calem was now walking towards Harrison, who was returning his fallen Steelix to its Pokeball.

"You did well, Steelix," he said as he looked at its pokeball. He then turned to face Calem. "You were a tough opponent. I wish you luck in the rest of the conference."

"Thanks," said Calem. "Good luck with whatever you decide to do next."

Harrison smiled. "Well, maybe I'll visit your region. Kalos sounds like a great place to get stronger."

"Oh, you're gonna love it," said Calem. "I'd definitely go if I were you."

The two trainers smiled and shook hands. They were both looking forward to seeing what the future had in store.

* * *

"That was a great match!" Grace said as she and the others greeted Calem.

"Thanks," Calem replied. "I was worried about that Steelix, but Gyarados managed to pull through in the end."

"Well, congratulations," said Ash. "You did really well, and now you're going to the finals!"

"Yeah, well, I really hope you get there too," said Calem. "It would be great to go up against you!"

"Oh, you can bet that we're going to battle!" Ash said with determination.

"Pikachu!"

"Hiii Calem!"

The group blinked in surprise, and were surprised to see none other than Macy standing before them. For a brief moment, Serena felt a twinge of anger as she remembered how she'd been talking to Ash.

"Um, hi?" Calem said in surprise.

"Hello!" said Macy. "You know I never got the chance to properly thank you for saving me!"

Everyone turned to Calem in surprise, who simply shrugged.

"Well, I happened to be in the area at the time, and I just did what any person would have done in that situation."

"Oh, of course!" Macy said as she shot out and grabbed his hands, causing him to gasp in surprise. "But not just anyone can be so brave and handsome, or have such beautiful and strong Pokemon!"

A drop of sweat rolled down Calem's forehead. Ash noticed this and decided to intervene.

"Um, Macy? I don't think this is the best time to-"

The brick-haired girl glared at him, causing him to shiver.

"What do you care?! Are you trying to get him to not like me?!"

"What?" Ash said in confusion as Macy pointed a finger at her in an accusatory manner.

"First you defeat me in the battle where I was supposed to show Calem just how strong I am! Now you're butting in while I'm trying to ask him out! So what is your deal?!"

"Pika?"

Ashy started to sweat, while Misty and Serena both glared at Macy. Just who was this girl to accuse Ash like that?! However, before they could act, they both noticed Calem quietly walking away. They then understood what was going on, and decided to help him out.

"You do realize that the point of these battles is to win, right?" Misty said as she walked up to the two. "If Ash had just gone along with what you wanted, then he would have been unable to move on to the next part of the tournament."

"And you weren't the only person cheering him on," said Serena. "We all wanted him to win, and he wanted to spend time with the people he loved!"

"Oh, well, then he obviously wanted to spend time with me the most!"

Ash, Misty, and Serena all sweatdropped.

"So, the point is that you shouldn't interrupt us when we clearly need to discuss our future together! Right, Calem?"

Macy was then taken by surprise when she was met with silence.

"Calem?"

She turned around, and was shocked to see that Calem was nowhere to be found.

"Where did he go?" she asked in confusion.

The others watched as she ran off to find Calem.

"Well, that was… odd," said Misty.

"Togepriii…"

"Yeah," said Ash. "We should probably go find Calem before she can catch him."

The others nodded, and they began to walk off.

"Mom," Serena asked. "Do you think we should have-"

"No," said Grace. "I want to see how this plays out."

* * *

The next day, after Ash had his last battle, the group got together at the Pokemon Center to look at the matchups. Since both Calem and Ash had passed on to the victory tour, they were both eager to see who would fight who.

"This is great!" said Ash. "Now we're going to fight in the finals!"

"Yeah," said Misty. "Just be glad you won your first battle, or that tie wouldn't have helped you at all."

Ash groaned, as did Pikachu. Meanwhile, Serena, Brock, Calem, and Grace all laughed.

"Hey, you got to the finals, and that what matters," said Serena, causing Ash to smile again.

"Yeah," said Ash. "And we're going to win the whole thing! Right, Pikachu?"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

With that, they turned upwards to find out who they were fighting. Ash looked around, trying to find where he was.

Upon seeing who he was fighting, he gasped in shock.

"No way!"

Brock, Misty, and Pikachu gasped as well. Right next to Ash was a very familiar boy with spiky brown hair. Calem and Grace looked at the picture in confusion, while Serena had a contemplative look on her face.

"Amazing," said Misty. "I was not expecting you to fight him so soon!"

"So, I'm guessing you know him?" said Calem.

"That's Gary Oak, grandson of the famous Professor Samuel Oak," explained Brock. "He and Ash have been rivals since as long as anyone can remember. He's also a very strong trainer with lots of powerful Pokemon."

"Oh," said Grace. "That makes sense."

Serena didn't speak. As she looked at Gary, she couldn't help but feel that he looked familiar. As she thought back to the days when she and Ash had played together at Professor Oak's Summer Camp, she was suddenly struck by a realization.

 _Him…_

Immediately, her fists clenched as she began to shake. She could hardly believe that he was here. In the Silver Conference! Fighting Ash! The nerve!

She grabbed Ash's shoulder and turned him around. Ash was briefly taken by surprise, until he saw the look she was giving him.

"Ash, you have to win this," said Serena. "You can't let that jerk win! I don't care how strong he is! You beat him and show him how much better you are!"

Ash was amazed at how passionate Serena was about him beating Gary. However, as he remembered how he had acted back at camp, he looked back at her with determination.

"Oh, there is no way I'm losing!" he said. "Gary's not going any further in this tournament!"

"Pikachu!"

"You'd better not bite off more than you can chew, Ashy-boy."

Ash froze when he heard the voice. Slowly, he turned around, and was greeted by the sight of his old rival. His shock faded away instantly, replaced with anger and determination.

"I have to say, it's a shame your Siver Conference experience is ending so soon," Gary said mockingly. I thought you'd at least be able to make it to the top eight."

"No way!" said Ash. "I'm not losing to you!"

"PikaPika!" Pikachu said as sparks began to come out of its cheeks.

"Oh boy," muttered Misty. "Here we go again."

Ash and Gary glared at each other, while the others looked at them with varying emotions. Brock and Misty just seemed exasperated, while Grace and Calem were curious about the two. Serena, however, was shaking in anger as she watched Gary.

Unexpectedly, she began to walk up to the two rivals. She then grabbed Gary by the collar of his shirt, taking everyone by surprise.

"Listen! I don't care how strong you think you are! You can't just tell people that they're weak whenever you want! And for your information, Ash is a great trainer, and I'm looking forwards to seeing him wipe that smug grin right off your face!"

Everyone looked at Serena in surprise. They had never expected to see this side of her. Gary, on the other hand, pulled closer to her with narrowed eyes.

"You look familiar. Have we met before?"

Serena's face turned to surprise as Gary looked at her. Then, she recoiled just a few in shock when a smirk formed on Gary's face, causing her to lose her grip on him.

"I remember now! You were at summer camp with us all those years ago!"

He then turned back to Ash, who now had the slightest hints of worry visible on his face.

"Gee, Ashy-boy. You must really be pathetic if you need your girlfriend to protect you."

At this, both Serena and Ash began to blush intensely, while Pikachu groaned. Far behind them, Misty was beginning to fume.

"S-she's not my girlfriend!" said Ash.

"Oh, of course," said Gary. "It's not like the two of you were stuck together the whole time you were at camp and started crying like babies when she had to leave at the end."

 _Well, Serena_ was _inconsolable the first week after camp,_ Grace thought to herself.

"I-I-You shut up!" Ash said, his face feeling hotter than ever.

"What was that nickname she had for you?" Gary asked mischievously. " _Ack?_ "

It took all of Ash's willpower not to punch Gary in the face. Fortunately, before he could do anything too reckless, Serena began to speak.

"Don't you dare use that name!"

"Okay, fine," Gary said in mock acceptance. "You don't have to be jealous."

"You'll be the one who's going to be jealous when Ash kicks you right out of the Silver Conference!" said Serena.

"Oh really?" Gary said as he reached into his pocket. He then pulled out a small red object. Ash looked at it curiously, only for his eyes to widen when he realized what it was.

"A Pokeball?" Serena said.

"Yeah!" said Ash. "You kept it too?!"

Filled with curiosity, Calem and the others looked at the object in Gary's hand. Upon looking at it, they realized that it was the top half of an old and rusty pokeball.

"Of course I kept it," said Gary. "It's a reminder of the only time I ever lost to you!"

As the surprise wore off, Ash glared back at Gary. "You didn't lose! We tied!"

"Wrong!" said Gary. "Tying with you is just as bad as a loss! But that doesn't matter, because the next rounds are going to be full six-on-six battles, so you're toast! I'm going to prove that I'm better than you once and for all!"

"We'll see about that!" said Ash.

"Ash is going to teach you a lesson you'll never forget!" yelled Serena.

"PikaPika!" Pikachu yelled in agreement.

Gary chuckled and turned around. "Well, good luck in the next battle, Ack. You're going to need it."

Ash gritted his teeth as his eternal rival walked away. Serena walked up to him and looked straight into his eyes.

"Ash, no matter what, you have to win this battle."

"I know," he said quietly.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. All they could think of was Gary, and how much they wanted- no, needed- to see him defeated.

Then the silence was interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Well, I have a lot of questions," said Calem. "And I do want them to be answered sooner or later."

Ash and Serena turned around, and saw the rest of the group staring at them, half confused, half curious. The only exception was Misty, whose face was somewhat more difficult to figure out. As they realized that they had seen the whole thing, Ash and Serena began to blush.

"It's a long story," they said together.

* * *

A short while later, most of the group was eating dinner. Ash, however, was rummaging through his backpack, searching for something.

"Come on, Ash," said Brock. "Your food's getting cold!"

"What's so important that you actually set a meal aside?" asked Misty.

"This!"

Ash then pulled out a small, rusty object from his backpack. As the others looked towards it, they saw that it was half of an old and rusty Pokeball, just like the one they had seen earlier.

"Wait," said Serena. "Is that-"

"The other half of the Pokeball," Ash confirmed.

"So, what's so special about it?" asked Calem.

Ash smiled, and began to tell how, on a day not long before he set out on his journey, he and Gary had ended up fishing in the same area. After a good amount of trash talking, much of which had involved Ash's earlier attempts to catch a Magikarp, the two had caught the same Pokeball. Though they both tried their hardest to reel it in, their refusal to give up had eventually ended in the Pokeball being snapped in half.

"And now I keep it as a good luck charm," Ash finished.

"Good luck charm?" Serena asked.

"Yup," said Ash. "It carries all my hopes and dreams of becoming a Pokemon Master."

"Really?" said Calem. "Are you sure it's a good idea for something to represent your dreams when it's rusty and brittle and will snap in half if you get in a struggle with-"

As everyone glared at him, he immediately shut up. Ash just chuckled, then turned his gaze back to the Pokeball half in his hand.

"You know," he said, "I've battled Gary before, but he beat me that time. Now, though, I understand that I wasn't ready to face him. But this time it's different. I'm ready for him. And this time, I'm going to win!"

"Now that's the spirit!" said Misty.

"Togepriiii!" Togepi chirped.

"You can do it!" said Serena.

"We believe in you!" said Brock.

"Pikapi!" yelled Pikachu

"Yeah!" Ash said as he stood up, holding the Pokeball half. "You watch out, Gary, because this time, you're not going to win!"

At that moment, his stomach began to growl, and he looked down mareepishly.

"Although, maybe I should have some dinner now."

Everyone else sweatdropped as Ash sat back down and began to eat. As they watched, a stray thought occurred to Serena, based on something Ash had mentioned.

"Hey, Ash, did you say that you had a straw hat that day?"

Ash briefly stopped eating, and put his finger on his chin.

"Oh yeah," he said. "I… actually, I think it was!"

Ash and Serena looked at each other in understanding, while everyone else simply looked at them in confusion. However, after a brief moment, Grace's eyes widened.

"Oh, of course! You left your hat with him, didn't you?"

"Yeah!" said Serena. "I wanted him to have something to remind him of our time together, since I already had that handkerchief, so I gave him my straw hat!"

"Yeah, I loved that hat," said Ash. "I mean, I did take the ribbon off, since it wasn't really my color, but it's still in great condition!"

Unbeknownst to anyone else, Misty had accidentally crushed her fork in her hand.

* * *

Early the next morning, Ash and his friends gathered with Calem and his family once more. They were discussing what Pokemon Gary was most likely to use as they ate breakfast together.

"Gary has caught an incredible variety of Pokemon," said Brock. "He doesn't favor any one type, but he trains as many different types to maintain as many advantages as possible. In addition, he keeps them all in tip-top shape so they're always ready for battle."

"Sounds like he's gonna be a very tough opponent to beat," said Grace.

"Pikachu," the mouse Pokemon commented.

"Yeah," said Ash. "I'm going to need to plan my best team to beat him. I could really use some heavy hitters right now. Something like… like…"

"What's that?!"

At Serena's voice, everyone looked upwards. To their surprise, they saw a large orange Pokemon with huge wings descending from the sky.

"It's heading straight towards us!" Grace said worriedly.

"No, it's heading straight for me!"

Calem, Serena, and Grace looked at Ash in surprise as he ran off to greet his old friend, who was now landing right next to their table. The raven-haired boy jumped up and hugged the Pokemon, who grunted appreciatively.

"Charizard!" Ash said happily. "I've missed you!"

Charizard roared happily, smiling at being near his trainer once more.

"Wait," said Calem. "So that Charizard belongs to Ash?"

"Yeah!" said Brock. "He's been in training for a while in a place called the Charicific Valley, but I called the Valley's owner last night to see if she could send him here."

"That's awesome!" said Ash as he pulled away from the hug. "Charizard is one of my strongest Pokemon, so there's no way Gary's gonna beat me now! Right, Charizard?"

Charizard decided to confirm this in his own unique way: by unleashing a huge Flamethrower right in his trainer's face. Brock, Misty, and Pikachu just chuckled, while their guests shouted out in shock. Once the flames dissipated, Ash groaned in pain.

"I wish you'd not do that one day," he said.

"Hey guys?" Calem whispered. "Is this normal?"

"You have no idea," said Misty.

Ash sighed, then took a step back. He grinned happily as he took in the orange draconic Pokemon standing before him.

"Hey buddy," he said. "I have to fight Gary. Are you up for that?"

Charizard grunted in approval, and flexed its muscles with determination. Ash smiled as this, and then raised his head as he heard the sound of a motorcycle approaching. He looked up in surprise when he saw an Officer Jenny approaching them. However, his surprise turned to joy when he saw a familiar face riding with her. One that was small, round, and wearing a distinctive pair of shades.

"Squirtle!" he said as he ran up to meet them. As soon as he reached them, the small blue Pokémon jumped out of the vehicle and into Ash's arms.

"I've missed you, buddy!" Ash said happily.

"Squirtle! Squirtle!"

As the two laughed together, Grace, Serena, and Calem watched with interest.

"Wow, Ash has a lot of Pokémon coming to help him," Calem commented.

"Do you think he can win?" Serena asked.

"Of course he can!" Misty said with enthusiasm. "Right Brock?"

Misty then realized that Brock was nowhere to be seen. Confused, she looked up, and was unsurprised to see him running up to Officer Jenny.

"Officer Jenny!" Brock said as he grabbed the surprised policewoman by the hands. "I can tell that you have missed me dearly, and I just want to let you know that I have done so as well!"

Officer Jenny sweatdropped, as did almost everyone else. Misty, on the other hand, reached out and grabbed Brock by the ear.

"Believe me, there is a lot you will miss dearly if you keep doing this," she muttered as she dragged him back.

For a moment, nobody spoke as they watched the squint-eyed teen was pulled away. Grace in particular was bewildered by what she'd just seen.

"What just happened?" she asked.

"According to Ash, that's a regular occurrence," said Calem.

"Yeah…" said Ash. "Anyway, why exactly did you decide to show up, Squirtle?"

"Well," Officer Jenny started, "after he saw you fighting in the Silver Conference on television, he just couldn't resist coming to help you."

"Squirt-Squirt!" Squirtle said with determination.

"That's great!" Ash said as he looked back at Officer Jenny. "Thanks a lot for bringing Squirtle here. It will be great to have him on my side!"

"You bet!" the blue-haired policewoman said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go. I still need a good seat to watch the battles!"

"Okay," said Ash. "See you later!"

"Squirtle! Squirt!"

As Officer Jenny drove away, Ash walked back to Charizard and set Squirtle next to him. Pikachu jumped "Now that you're all here, I'm definitely going to win!"

"Getting quite confident, are we?"

Ash shot up in surprise upon hearing the voice. He turned around to see Gary smirking at him.

"Hello, Ashy-boy. You having fun with your pokemon before you lose?"

"I'm not losing!" Ash cried out in defiance. "You are!"

All of Ash's Pokemon trilled in agreement, causing Gary to roll his eyes.

"Whatever," he said. "You'd better get ready to lose tomorrow!"

For a moment, the two simply glared at each other intensely. Everyone around them watched nervously, hoping that the neither of the two would do something stupid. Fortunately, the moment was interrupted by the arrival of a familiar face.

"Well, it's certainly good to see that everyone is back together again!"

Ash, Gary, and the rest of those assembled were surprised to see none other than Professor Oak sneaking in between Ash and Gary. Their surprise was then amplified when another person appeared next to him.

"It's so amazing that you've both reached the final rounds! We're finally going to see the two of you go all out!"

Ash gasped "Mom? What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Professor Oak said excitedly. "It's much more exciting to see the Conference live than on TV!"

Meanwhile, as Ash and Gary reconnected with their respective relatives, Grace, Serena, and Calem all looked on with fascination.

"That's Professor Oak?" Calem said in amazement.

"Yeah," said Misty.

"And that's Ash's mom?" Serena asked.

"Right," said Brock.

"Well, they certainly look nice," Grace said as she got up out of her chair. The others followed suit, and followed her towards the new arrivals. Upon seeing them approach, Delia and Oak looked in their direction, surprised.

"Hello," said Delia. "Are you friends of Ash?"

"Yes," the black-haired boy said. "My name's Calem. I'm from the Kalos region, and I came here to participate in the Silver Conference."

"I'm his aunt, Grace."

"And I'm Serena!"

"Well, it's great to meet you all," the brown-haired woman said happily. "I'm Delia, Ash's mother!"

As she smiled at the new group, Ash decided to interject.

"Mom, Serena and I actually knew each other a long time ago."

Delia blinked in surprise, then turned towards Serena.

"You knew Ash before?" she asked.

"It was a long time ago," said Serena. "I went to Professor Oak's Summer Camp when I was about seven years old. While I was there, I met Ash and we became friends. But since I lived in Vaniville Town in the Kalos region, I had to go at the end, so we haven't been able to talk since then."

As the honey-blonde haired girl finished her explanation, Delia's eyes widened.

"Ash? Is this the friend you told me about when you went to camp?"

Ash smiled and nodded. "Yeah, she is."

Delia squealed in excitement as she looked straight at Serena.

"You know, Ash wouldn't stop talking about you when he came back home from camp," she said.

Serena smiled happily. "Really?"

Delia nodded. "He was right about you! You really do look like an angel!"

At this, Serena's face became slightly pink. Meanwhile, Ash grabbed his mother's arm as his face went red.

"MOM! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Oh, don't be like that," said Delia. "I just want your friend to know-"

"Hey mom!" Ash shouted as he began to pull his mother away. "Let's go see the stadium! That sounds like fun, doesn't it?!"

As the raven-haired boy dragged his mother off, the Pokemon, as well as Calem, Brock, and Gary, all began to laugh. Professor Oak, on the other hand, simply looked confused. Meanwhile, Grace seemed quite surprised by the turn of events, while Serena was looking downwards with a slight blush on her face.

 _Did Ash really say I looked like an angel?_

"Well, that was something I never expected to see," Brock said as the laughter died down. "Wouldn't you agree, Misty?"

As he turned around, Brock was surprised to see that the orange-haired girl was nowhere to be found.

"Misty?"

* * *

Far away, the former Cerulean City Gym leader was running as fast as she could as she fought back the tears gathering in her eyes. She didn't know where she was going, and she didn't care. All she wanted was to get as far away from the others as she could.

"Togie-togie?" Togepi said, worried about her. However, Misty didn't seem to notice.

Finally, after several minutes, Misty found herself alone in the woods. Satisfied that there was no one left around her, she slowed down until she had stopped completely, and then sat down at the base of a large tree. It was only then that she finally noticed Togepi's trilling, and turned down to look at the baby Pokemon.

"It's okay, Togepi," she said as she tightened her grip on the baby Pokemon. "I'm fine. I'm… fine…"

She kept repeating those two words over and over again, hoping that they would eventually turn out to be true. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop the tears from escaping.

"He called her an angel…" she whispered, hardly able to believe what she had heard. "Ash said that Serena was an angel…"

Togepi watched worriedly as Misty murmured to herself.

"It should have been me… I should have been the first one… Where did it all go wrong?"

Unable to contain her emotions any longer, she broke down crying. Shocked by this, Togepi attempted to console her, with no success.

* * *

 ** _A/N: So there you have it. Two of Ash's Pokemon have returned, Calem has defeated Harrison, Vincent (his dub name in_** **The Legend Of Thunder** ** _)/Jackson (his dub name in_** **Tie One On** ** _)/Vincent Jackson (my way of reconciling both of his dub names) has become a meme (#SilverConferenceJester), Gary and Delia remember Serena, some random Rotom is being a troll, and Misty is feeling very crushed (No pun intended)._**

 ** _Also, a new headcanon: As seen in The Ties That Bind, Ash was wearing a straw hat when he and Gary fought over the old Pokeball. I always wondered why Ash was wearing that hat and not his famous Pokemon League Expo hat... until I found out that Serena had a straw hat when they first met._**

 ** _Next time: Ash and Gary battle!_**


	5. Battle Of Eternal Rivalry! Ash VS Gary!

After some time, Misty finally managed to calm down. She then made her way back to the Pokemon Center, holding Togepi in her arms tightly. The spike ball Pokemon had done its best to comfort her, and she was grateful for its help.

As she entered the building, she was surprised to see Brock, Ash, and Pikachu alone. She had expected the Kalos group to be with them, or at least Ash's mother and Professor Oak. But then again, at the moment it was probably best that no one else was with them. Especially Serena.

"Misty!" Brock said in surprise.

"Where were you?" asked Ash.

The orange-haired girl froze. She wasn't sure how to explain her sudden departure. After all, she had left them with no explanation right after the incident. And she had no intention of telling them that she'd run away because of the feeling of heartbreak she'd felt when she heard how Ash had talked about Serena

Fortunately, she was quickly able to formulate an acceptable response.

"Well… I remembered that I needed to call my sisters after Ash's mom arrived!"

Brock raised an eyebrow. As far as he was aware, Misty had never had a positive relationship with her sisters. However, he chose to ignore that for the moment. Ash then walked up with a number of Pokeballs in his hands.

"I've chosen my team for my battle against Gary," said Ash. "I'm using Pikachu, Squirtle, Bayleef, Heracross, Snorlax, and Charizard. I know we're in for a tough fight, but there's no way we're giving up!"

Misty pushed her sadness away. Even if he wasn't interested in her, Ash was still her friend, and he deserved her support.

"That's great, Ash! You're going to defeat him for sure!"

"Thanks!" Ash said as he pumped his fist. "We've been rivals forever. And now it's finally time to see who's the better trainer!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

* * *

Meanwhile, among the many stands of the conference, a certain trio was busy counting their profits.

"Now that was a great haul!" Jessie said.

"What did I tell you?" asked James. "The collectors love these Limited Edition Silver Conference Badges! It's a marketing success story!"

"Well, as long as we're bringing in the dough, I'm all for it!" said Meowth.

"So am I!" said Jessie. "James! We're going to need another huge batch for tomorrow!"

"On it!" James said as he headed up to his badge machine. However, as he pulled a lever, it began to act strangely.

"Warning! Warning! An error has occurred!"

James's eyes went wide. "Error?! What error?!"

"Don't tell me you damaged it!" Jessie said angrily.

"I did nothing of the sort!" James declared. However, before he could say anything else, the machine began to speak again.

"Attention: The suckiness of your badges has disabled the machine!"

"What?!" James yelled. "How dare you say that my badges suck?!"

"Alright," said Meowth. "This thing is getting on my nerves!"

He lifted his paws and extended his claws. He then lunged at the machine, determined to give it some brutal Fury Swipes. However, as soon as his claws made contact, he was met with a massive surge of electricity.

"GYAAAAAAAWAWAWAWAWAWAAA!"

Meowth groaned as he hit the floor. While it had not been as painful as Pikachu's Thunderbolt, it had still hurt. Jessie and James looked on in shock, before they looked at the machine nervously.

"James… what is going on with your machine?!" Jessie demanded.

"I have no idea!" James said. "I've never seen it like this!"

Then, to their shock, the machine began to shake, releasing blasts of electricity. The trio shivered in fear as light blue plasma began to emerge from the machine and collect above it. Slowly, it formed into a more defined figure, one with a rotating orange body, two transparent blue arms, blue eyes, and a very mischievous smile. For a moment, the trio stared at the strange creature as it stared at them.

"Is that a Pokemon?" Jessie asked.

"I think so," said Meowth.

"I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it," said James.

Then, the odd Pokemon pointed an arm at them and burst into laughter. Jessie, James, and Meowth all felt their faces glow red with anger.

"How dare you make a mockery of Team Rocket?!" yelled Jessie.

"We will make you pay for your insolence!" yelled James.

"Let's catch it!" yelled Meowth. "For the boss!"

Unfortunately, before they could do a thing, the Pokemon unleashed a huge blast of electrical energy, shocking them once more. As they fell over, the Pokemon flew off, laughing all the way.

"Guys…" Meowth said, too exhausted to look up. "What just happened?"

* * *

The next day, the main stadium was full to the brim with spectators. People had come from all around the Johto region and beyond to watch the exciting battles of the most talented trainers in the region. Among those were Delia Ketchum and Professor Samuel Oak, who were getting ready to watch from the front row.

"This is so exciting!" said Delia. "My little boy is going to fight against Gary!"

"I will also admit that it will be quite entertaining to see which of those two is the better trainer," said Oak. "This battle has been in the making for a long time."

"Well, then this should be a very entertaining match!"

The two looked up in surprise at the voice. Standing right beside them were none other than Grace and Serena.

"What do you know?" said Grace. "We're sitting right next to each other! What are the odds of that?"

"Why hello there!" said Delia. "It's great to see you again!"

"Isn't it?" Grace said as she and her daughter sat down. "You know, at first Serena and I were just coming here because Calem was participating, but now that we found out that your son was childhood friends with her, she's super excited to see him battle as well!"

Delia smiled. "I'm not surprised. After he came back from camp, Serena was all Ash could talk about! It's so great that they managed to find each other again!"

Serena blushed slightly at this. "Oh, I'm not that great."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, honey," said Grace. "You and Ash are clearly great friends!"

As Serena looked away, Grace turned to Delia and whispered.

"Just between you and me, I wouldn't be surprised if Ash and Serena end up together."

Delia giggled. She would definitely not object if that were to happen.

* * *

Ash took a deep breath as he sat with Pikachu in the locker room. Calem had been one of the participants in the last battle, and he had managed to win. That, of course, meant that if- no, when- he beat Gary, his next opponent would be Calem.

Who would Serena root for?

"Hey, Ash!"

The raven-haired boy pushed the thought aside and smiled as he looked up. Standing before him was Calem, who had a smile on his face.

"Congratulations on your last battle," said Ash.

"Pika-pika!"

"Thanks," said Calem. "And good luck in your next battle. I'll be cheering for you!"

Ash grinned. "Sure. But remember that you're next!"

Calem chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind. Now go out there and beat that rival of yours!"

Ash nodded, then turned around. He and Pikachu made their way to the field, where the crowds were cheering excitedly. As they looked on, they saw Brock and Misty, as well as Misty's Politoed, Psyduck, and Togepi, who were all cheering for them.

"Hey guys!" Ash said. "You ready to watch me finally beat Gary?"

"Don't get cocky, kid," said Brock. "Gary's a tough opponent. One wrong move could cost you the victory."

"But we're still going to cheer you on!" said Misty. "After all… someone needs to do so when they are on the field."

As she said that last part, she shot a glare towards Gary's side of the field, where a familiar group of women were cheering as they waved pink pompoms.

"Gary, Gary, he's our man! If he can't do it, no one can!"

Ash sweatdropped as he saw Gary's cheerleaders. He could hardly believe he took them with him everywhere he went. Brock, on the other hand, was blushing profusely, causing Misty to groan.

Meanwhile, up in the stands, Serena and Grace were shocked to see Gary's cheerleaders.

"Are any of them… friends with him?" Grace asked.

"Well," said Oak, "I suppose you could call them admirers."

"I… see," said Serena, hoping nobody would say any more. Every time she thought her opinion on Gary couldn't go any lower, she was shocked to find she was wrong.

Fortunately, before anything else could be said, they were interrupted by the sound of the announcer.

"Folks, this is bound to be an exciting match! These two trainers are the same age, and they are both from Pallet Town in the Kanto region! They also boast some impressive credentials! Gary Oak is the grandson of the legendary Pokemon Professor, Samuel Oak, and Ash Ketchum placed top sixteen in the Kanto League, and also claimed victory in the Orange Island League! This is bound to be an unforgettable match!"

Ash and Gary smiled as they stood on opposite sides of the battlefield. Far above them, on the scoreboard, four icons appeared, one for each type of battlefield; rock, water, grass, and ice.

"And now the field shall be selected!" the announcer said as the screen began to spin through the four icons. Fast at first, the rotation quickly slowed down, until it settled on the grass icon.

"And there you have it, folks!" said the announcer. "The battle between Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak shall take place on the grass field!"

The entire stadium then began to shake as the current field was lowered. Then, a new field, one covered with thick grass, was brought upwards. As it snapped into place, the scoreboard showed the pictures of Ash and Gary, with six empty squares beneath them. A dial then began to spin between tiles of two colors, red for Ash and green for Gary. After a few seconds, it stopped on a red tile.

"And the first choice goes to Ash!" said the announcer. Ash smiled, and looked down at Pikachu.

"You ready, buddy?"

"Pikapika!" Pikachu said with determination.

"Okay!" Ash said with a smile. "Pikachu! I choose you!"

Pikachu ran onto the battlefield, ready to fight. Gary smirked as he grabbed a Pokeball.

"I knew you'd choose Pikachu," he said. "So predictable. I choose you! Nidoqueen!"

Gary's Pokeball flew into the air and then opened, revealing a large blue pokemon. It roared as it landed, and smirked as it stared down the small pokemon standing before it.

"And our first match is Pikachu against Nidoqueen!" the announcer said as the images of both Pokemon appeared below those of their trainers. "Now how will these Pokemon fare against each other?"

"Nidoqueen is a poison and ground-type," said Oak. "It has a big advantage against an Electric-type like Pikachu."

"Will he be okay?" Serena asked nervously.

"Of course," Delia said confidently. "Ash always pulls through in tough situations."

"Battle begin!" the referee yelled.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled. "Use Quick Attack!"

"Earthquake!"

Pikachu sped off towards his opponent as fast as he could. However, Nidoqueen countered by smashing into the ground, sending shockwaves towards him. Fortunately, Pikachu jumped, which along with his great speed, allowed him to dodge the attack.

"Poison Jab!"

Pikachu finally managed to slam into Nidoqueen only to be slammed by a poison-seeped arm.

"Pikaaa!"

"And Pikachu gets slammed by Nidoqueen's Poison Jab!" the announcer exclaimed.

Ash frowned. Pikachu had very few moves that could hurt ground-types, and Nidoqueen was clearly very strong. This might not be the best battle for Pikachu.

"Pikachu! Return!"

Pikachu looked up in surprise, then nodded in understanding. He ran off the field, leaving Nidoqueen looking rather angry. Ash paid it no heed as he grabbed another Pokeball.

"And Ash has decided to change Pokemon!" the announcer said in surprise.

"Squirtle!" Ash called. "I choose you!"

The Pokeball opened, revealing the tiny turtle pokemon.

"And Ash's second pokemon is a Squirtle!" the announcer said as Squirtle's image appeared below Ash's picture. "Now As has the type advantage!"

"Squirtle, huh?" said Gary. "Well, we're ready for that! Nidoqueen! Earthquake!"

"Water Gun!"

Nidoqueen stomped on the ground again, sending shockwaves towards Squirtle. The small pokemon grimaced as the ground shook below it, but it still managed to shoot a jet of water at its opponent. The drill Pokemon gasped in surprise as the super-effective attack hit it.

"Poison Jab!"

"Withdraw!"

Squirtle shrunk back into its shell as Nidoqueen slammed a poisonous arm into it. While it did some damage, the tough shell provided a good amount of protection.

"Hydro Pump!"

A huge torrent of water emerged from each opening in Squirtle's shell, taking Nidoqueen by surprise. The larger Pokemon grimaced in pain, but managed to stay on its legs.

"Thunderbolt!"

Ash's eyes widened in shock. "Dodge!"

Squirtle shot off, the water propelling it mostly out of harm's way. However, a stray bolt of electricity still managed to hit it.

"Squiiiiirt!"

"And Squirtle is taken by surprise by a super-effective attack!" the announcer exclaimed.

Ash frowned. He hadn't expected Nidoqueen to know such an attack. Now that he did, however, he would not be tricked again.

"Squirtle!" he yelled. "Water Gun!"

"Zap it again!" Gary yelled.

Nidoqueen attempted to charge another Thunderbolt. However, the tiny turtle Pokemon squirted it with a quick blast of water. Caught off guard, Nidoqueen's electricity dissipated.

"Nidoqueen!" said Gary. "Try again!"

"Water Gun!"

"Dodge!"

Nidoqueen managed to dodge the next squirt of matter, and then shot a blast of electricity. However, due to Squirtle's efforts, it was unable to shoot accurately.

Ash grinned. All the training Squirtle had received with the Squirtle Squad had helped it greatly. And now it was giving Nidoqueen a run for its money.

"Alright, Squirtle!" he said. "Now use Bubble!"

"Earthquake!"

Nidoqueen rapidly slammed into the ground, creating a shockwave that moved across the ground. Squirtle grimaced as it was hit, but grit its teeth in and spat out a barrage of bubbles which hit its target perfectly.

"Nidoqueen!" Gary said. "Try again!"

"Hydro Pump!"

Squirtle jumped into the air and plunged into its shell, expelling water out of every opening. As the ground shook again, the streams of water kept the tiny turtle Pokemon in the air, away from harm, and heading straight for Nidoqueen.

"Counter it with Poison Jab!" Gary yelled desperately.

Nidoqueen attempted to punch Squirtle with a poisoned arm, only to be met by a huge mass of water. It yelled out in pain as its entire body was drenched. Finally, Squirtle landed on the floor, as its opponent collapsed in front of it.

"Nidoqueen!" Gary yelled, only to be met with silence.

"Nidoqueen is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Squirtle is the winner!"

"Unbelievable!" the announcer said in amazement. "That is one tough Squirtle, folks!"

All around the stadium, people cheered. In particular, Serena and the others were jumping for joy.

"Well done," Gary said as he returned Nidoqueen to its ball. "Now you can rest."

He then looked out onto the battlefield. Squirtle seemed a bit tired, but still willing to fight. After a brief moment of doubt, he grabbed his next Pokeball.

"Machamp! I choose you!"

Gary's Pokeball flew through the air and burst open, revealing a large blue pokemon with four arms and bulging muscles.

"Gary's second pokemon is a Machamp!" the announcer said as Machamp's picture appeared on the scoreboard.

"Are you ready, Squirtle?" Ash asked.

"Squirt! Squirtle!" Squirtle said with determination.

"Then fire off a Water Gun!"

"Dodge it!"

Squirtle spat out another stream of water. Machamp tried to dodge it, but Squirtle's aim was extremely accurate and hit it perfectly. Despite the pain, the superpower Pokemon stood strong.

"Okay!" yelled Gary. "Now use Cross Chop!"

"Withdraw!"

Squirtle withdrew into its shell to avoid damage, just as Machamp slammed its fists into its shell. It did a good amount of damage, though not as much as it could have.

"Use Hydro Pump!"

"Stop it with Thunder Punch!"

Squirtle began to expel water from its openings. However, before it could do more damage, Machamp slammed its fist into the head opening. Then, in a devastating move, the fist burst with electricity, dealing a colossal amount of damage to the little pokemon.

"Squiiiirtleee!"

"No! Squirtle!"

As Machamp flung its out of the way, Squirtle landed on the grassy floor, unconscious.

"Squirtle is unable to battle!" the referee said. "Machamp is the winner!"

"Squirtle put up a good fight, but Machamp was ultimately too much for it!" said the announcer.

As Squirtle's icon vanished, the crowd cheered in excitement. However, some people in the front seats were not so thrilled.

"Poor Squirtle," said Serena. "It was doing so well!"

"Yes," said Grace. "And it even managed to take down one of Gary's Pokemon. There's no doubt it's strong. It just had a very tough opponent."

Back on the field, Ash had already returned his Squirtle, and was in the process of choosing his next Pokemon.

"All right," he said as he grabbed one of his Pokeballs. "Now let's see how you like this!"

He then tossed the ball into the air.

"I choose you! Heracross!"

The ball opened with a flash of light, revealing a large blue insectlike pokemon. It chirped happily as it landed, now ready to fight. On the scoreboard, its image appeared in Ash's third team slot.

"And Ash's third Pokemon is a Heracross!" the announcer said. "Now we're going to see a clash of two powerful fighting-type pokemon!"

"Heracross! Fury Attack!"

The single horn Pokemon sped off towards its opponent and jabbed it with its horn. Machamp yelled out, but did not falter.

"Machamp!" Gary yelled. "Counter it with Fire Punch!"

Machamp grunted and threw a fiery fist at the large bug. Heracross yelled in pain, but quickly recovered.

"Fly up and use Pin Missile!"

Heracross opened its wings and rose into the air. It then sent a barrage of glowing green needles at machamp, who yelled in anger.

"Bring it back down, Machamp!" Gary called. "Stone Edge!"

Machamp summoned a flurry of sharpened stones and flung them at the flying bug-type. Heracross tried its best to dodge, but the rock barrage was too much for it, and it fell back to the ground.

"Now use Fire Punch again!"

Heracross was still distracted by its unfortunate landing, and it was unable to deal with the sudden attack. It yelled out in pain as it was hit by the super-effective attack.

"Crooosssss!"

"Looks like Heracross is in a tight spot!" the announcer said. "Can it get out of this?"

Ash grinned. He'd get out of it for sure!

"Heracross! Use Megahorn!"

"Counter it with Cross Chop!"

Heracross charged towards its opponent, its horn glowing brightly. Before it could execute the attack, however, the superpower pokemon slammed all four of its arms into its horn, causing it to stop in its tracks. Even so, the determined bug-type kept pushing, hoping to overpower Machamp.

"Both Pokemon are locked in a stalemate!" the announcer said. "Who will come out on top?"

The two Pokemon continued to struggle, each hoping to defeat the other. However, after a brief moment, Heracross began to slowly push forward, causing Machamp's eyes to widen. Finally, with a mighty roar, the single horn Pokemon thrust forward, slamming into its opponent and sending it flying across the stadium.

"Yeah!" Ash yelled. "Now finish it with Giga Impact!"

Heracross yelled out as it was surrounded by a cocoon of swirling purple and yellow energy. It then flew towards Machamp, who had just enough time to gasp before it was slammed with extreme force.

"Machamp!" Gary yelled as the superpower pokemon landed on the ground. But he quickly realized that it wasn't going to get up.

"Machamp is unable to battle!" said the announcer. "Heracross is the winner!"

"And Heracross managed to pull off an amazing win, folks!" said the announcer.

As Machamp's Icon vanished from the scoreboard, Serena cheered excitedly.

"That was awesome! Keep it up, Ash!"

Down on the field, Gary recalled his Pokemon, then looked down at another Pokeball.

"Well, buddy, I say we show them what we're really made of!"

He then lifted the ball and flung it into the air.

"Let's go! Blastoise!"

With a burst of light, a huge tanklike pokemon emerged, crying out as it landed.

"Gary's third Pokemon is a Blastoise!" said the announcer.

"Is that…" Misty started.

"The Squirtle Gary received from Professor Oak when he started." Brock confirmed.

Up in the stands, Oak was frowning.

"That Blastoise is Gary's strongest Pokemon," he explained. "Ash has his work cut out for him."

"I hope he can win," Serena said nervously.

"Don't worry," Delia said reassuringly. "You know he can win."

Down on the field, Heracross and Blastoise were staring each other down. Both were determined to show off just how strong they were.

"Blastoise!" Gary yelled. "Hydro Pump!"

"Dodge it!"

Heracross opened its wings and flew out of harm's way before it could be blasted with water.

"Now use Megahorn!"

Heracross charged with a glowing horn. Before it could hit, however, Gary did something completely unexpected.

"Flash Cannon!"

Blastoise's cannons aimed straight at Heracross and unleashed a blinding blast of white energy. Heracross was unable to dodge and was hit right in the face. Closing its eyes in pain, its attack was cancelled out.

"Heracross!" Ash called out in shock. Before it could respond, however, Gary gave out another command.

"Hydro Pump!"

Blastoise blasted Heracross with another huge volume of water. The Single horn Pokemon yelled out in pain as it was sent flying, before it landed on the floor in front of Ash.

"Heracross!" Ash yelled out.

"Heracross is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Blastoise is the winner!"

"While it battle bravely, Heracross wasn't able to stand up to Blastoise's sheer power!" the announcer said as Heracross's icon faded.

Ash gritted his teeth as he returned Heracross to its Pokeball. He was shocked by how strong the shellfish pokemon was. It had barely taken any effort to take down Heracross!

"Pikapi!"

Ash looked down at Pikachu. He was giving his trainer a determined look as he lifted his fists, as if to show that he was ready to fight.

"You want to fight, Pikachu?" Ash said.

"Pikachu!"

Ash grinned. "Then let's do it! Pikachu, I choose you!"

Pikachu grinned as he ran out onto the field. He cried out as it faced Blastoise, determined not to let himself be intimidated.

"And Ash has called Pikachu back onto the battlefield!" the announcer said. "As an electric-type, it certainly has an advantage over Blastoise! But will this be enough?"

"Oh yes it will!" said Ash. "Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu yelled out as he shot a blast of electricity at its opponent. Blastoise grimaced as it was hit, but shrugged it off.

"Hydro Pump!"

"Dodge with Quick Attack!"

Blastoise fired a huge volume of water at its opponent, only for Pikachu to rush out of the way.

"Now use Thunderbolt!"

"Counter it with Rapid Spin!"

Pikachu launched another Thunderbolt at Blastoise, only for it to tuck into its shell and spin at high speeds. As the electricity hit, it was deflected by the tough spinning shell.

"Now use Hydro Pump!"

Blastoise stopped spinning and launched a powerful stream of water at the little yellow Pokemon. Pikachu barely had any time to react before he was slammed by a huge stream of water.

"Pikaaaaa!"

"No! Pikachu!"

Pikachu landed on the ground next to Ash, clearly knocked out.

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Blastoise wins!"

"Amazing!" the announcer said as Pikachu's icon faded. "Despite a type advantage, Pikachu managed to come out on top!"

"Hey, buddy," Ash said as he picked up Pikachu. "You did a great job out there. Now get some rest, okay?"

The mouse Pokemon gave a tired cry as Ash cradled him and began to walk back to Misty and Brock.

"Now that one competitor has lost three Pokemon, a five-minute break shall take place!"

As Ash walked back to his friends, Serena watched on with worry on her face.

"This is looking bad," she said. "Ash has lost more Pokemon than Gary!"

"Maybe," said Grace. "But Ash has managed to knock out two of Gary's Pokemon. I'm sure he can recover from this!"

"Of course he'll recover!" said Delia. "That's what Ash does!"

Back on the sidelines, Ash had just handed Pikachu to Misty.

"Please take care of him," said Ash.

"Don't worry," said Misty. "Pikachu's in good hands."

"Pikaaa…"

Ash smiled sadly as he looked at Pikachu relaxing in Misty's arms. He then frowned as he looked back towards the field.

"Gary still has four Pokemon," he said. "I have to do the best I can."

"Don't worry," said Brock. "We know you can do it!"

"You go out there and show Gary what you're made of!" Misty agreed.

"Pikachuuu."

Ash smiled at his friends' encouragement. He then began to walk back to the field, a newfound determination in his heart.

"And the competitors have made it back to the field!" The announcer said. "Now it's time to see what they have in store!"

Ash grabbed a pokeball. He was ready to win.

"I choose you! Snorlax!"

With a flash of light, the huge blue Pokemon burst onto the field. The ground shook as it landed, ready for battle.

"Ash's fourth Pokemon is a Snorlax!"

"Snorlax, huh?" Gary asked as Snorlax's picture appeared on the scoreboard. "Then Blastoise it is!"

With a flash of light, Gary's starter emerged once again.

"And Blastoise has returned to fight once more!"

Ash gritted his teeth. He needed to defeat that Blastoise before it could take down any more of his Pokemon.

"Snorlax!" he called. "Body Slam!"

Snorlax charged at Blastoise, but Gary would not allow it.

"Hydro Pump!"

Blastoise unleashed a huge burst of water at Snorlax, pushing it back slightly. However, it kept pushing forward, protected by its incredible bulk. Finally, it managed to reach its opponent, slamming into it with all its strength.

"Blastoise! Flash Cannon!"

The shellfish Pokemon blasted Snorlax with a blinding beam of energy, causing it to stumble back a few feet.

"Skull Bash!"

"Counter it with Hyper Beam!"

Blastoise charged at Snorlax as hard as it could. Fortunately for Snorlax, it was able to charge up its attack in time, and unleashed a mighty beam of yellowish white energy right in Blastoise's face.

"Blaaaa!"

It yelled as it fell to the floor, clutching its face in pain. Snorlax grinned in response, before gasping in exhaustion. Sensing an opportunity, Gary quickly acted.

"Blastoise! Hydro Pump!"

Sensing its opponent's exhaustion, Blastoise quickly got back to its feet and pointed both its cannons directly at Snorlax's face. It tried to move away, but it was too late.

"Snorlax!" Ash yelled.

Blastoise blasted Snorlax with a mighty torrent of water at point-blank range. Snorlax cried out as it was launched right off its feet. It then landed on the ground next to Ash, unable to make any more movements.

"Snorlax is unable to battle!" said the referee. "Blastoise wins!"

"Amazing!" the announcer said as Snorlax's icon faded. "Is there nothing that can stand up to this Blastoise?!"

Ash gritted his teeth as he returned Snorlax to its ball. He was determined to show that he could!

 _Charizard is very strong, but it's weak against water-types_ , he thought to himself. _I'd better play it safe for now._

Having made his choice, he chose his Pokeball.

"Bayleef! I choose you!"

The ball burst open, revealing a medium-sized yellow pokemon with a leaf on its head, and flower buds on its neck.

"Baaaay!" it cried as it landed.

"And Bayleef is Ash's fifth Pokemon!" the announcer said as Bayleef's image appeared on the scoreboard. "Now that Ash has a type advantage, will he be able to defeat Gary's Blastoise?"

Gary frowned. While he was certain that Blastoise could defeat Bayleef, he also knew that it was beginning to tire. Thus, he made a decision.

"Blastoise! Return!"

Blastoise was enveloped in red light as it returned to its pokeball.

"And Gary has decided to return Blastoise!" the announcer said in surprise. "What is he planning?"

Gary smirked as he grabbed another Pokeball. He was not going to let Ash take his victory.

"Arcanine! I choose you!"

He flung out his Pokeball, which burst open with a flash. Then, a powerful doglike pokemon emerged, growling as it saw Bayleef.

"And Gary's fourth Pokemon is an Arcanine!" the announcer said as Arcanine's image appeared on the scoreboard. "Can Ash overcome this type disadvantage?"

Ash gritted his teeth. He was determined not to be defeated by Gary, even with a disadvantage.

"Arcanine!" Gary yelled. "Fire Blast!"

"Dodge!"

Arcanine breathed out a huge star of fire at Bayleef. However, to everyone's surprise, a pair of vines emerged from the leaf pokemon's flower buds, which she used to jump out of the way.

"What a creative way to use its vines!" the announcer said.

"Fire Spin!"

Arcanine let loose a tornado of fire out of its mouth. Once again, however, its opponent used her vines to move out of the way. Ash gritted his teeth, knowing that she couldn't keep it up forever. However, as he watched Bayleef's clever use of Vines, an idea came to his mind.

"Bayleef!" he yelled. "Use Vine Whip, and wrap it around Arcanine's mouth!"

"What?!"

Bayleef grinned as she shot her vines at Arcanine. They then wrapped around its muzzle and shut tightly.

"Arcanine!" Gary yelled out.

"Amazing!" the announcer exclaimed. "Ash and Bayleef are now trying to prevent Arcanine from using its fire-type attacks!"

"Bayleef!" Ash called. "Body Slam! And don't let go!"

Bayleef cried out as she launched itself at its opponent. Maintaining a tight grip, she landed on top of Arcanine, causing it to utter a muffled cry.

"Shake it off, Arcanine!"

"Don't let go, Bayleef!" Ash yelled. "Tackle!"

Bayleef lunged, slamming into Arcanine once again.

"Now-"

"Okay, that's it!" yelled Gary. "Flare Blitz!"

To Ash's shock, Arcanine's whole body burst into flames. Bayleef yelped as the flames made contact with her vines, but didn't let go.

"And Gary has found a hole in Ash's strategy!" the announcer yelled.

"Did you really think that all of Arcanine's fire attacks needed it to have an open mouth?" Gary asked mockingly. "Now charge at it!"

"Bayleef!" Ash yelled. "Don't let it hit you!"

Bayleef gritted her teeth and held onto Arcanine's muzzle. However, the flames continued to assault her vines.

"Heat it up, Arcanine!"

Arcanine's flames burned even harder, causing Bayleef to scream in agony. Ash could only watch, too shocked to think of anything. If Bayleef fell now, Charizard would be alone against four of Gary's Pokemon. What then? Was this really it? Was he really going to lose to his eternal rival?

Up in the stands, Serena could barely stand to watch. She wanted Ash to win. Especially against Gary. But Bayleef was clearly in big trouble.

"No!" she yelled. "Please don't lose, Ash!"

"This is bad!" Grace said. "Sooner or later, Bayleef isn't going to be able to hold Arcanine back anymore!"

"Come on, Ash!" yelled Delia. "You can do it!"

Meanwhile, back on the field, Bayleef was struggling to hold back tears. She was trying her hardest to stay strong, but the pain was unbearable. At this rate, it was only a matter of seconds before she would no longer be able to hold back its opponent. And then Ash would lose.

 _Ash…_

She spared a glance back towards her trainer. She then thought about all the great time they had shared together, from the moment when they had first met, back when she was a stubborn little Chikorita, to the day when she had evolved, to the present.

 _Ash_ , she thought. _You've always been so nice to me. You were so determined to be my friend back when we first met, even if I was a stubborn little jerk. You even risked your life just to make sure I was safe! And then we trained together for so long, winning against so many trainers, and striving to be the very best we could possibly be. Ash… you're my hero!_

She then looked back towards Gary. Ash's eternal rival.

 _That jerk! He comes along all smug and arrogant like he's the champion! And he talks about Ash like he's some third-rate trainer! The nerve! I… I can't let him win!_

 _I_ won't _let him win!_

Something began to spark deep within Bayleef. She glared at her opponent with newfound determination, and began to walk forwards. She barely even noticed the pain anymore. All she could feel was her devotion to Ash, and her desire to make him happy.

 _I'm going to defeat Arcanine! I'm going to defeat all of Gary's Pokemon! For Ash!_

Energy began to fill her body. She kept moving as it extended all over her, filling her with unrelenting strength and resolve.

Then her whole body began to glow with a bluish-white light.

"What?!" Gary said in shock.

"Bayleef!" Ash said in amazement.

"No way!" the announcer gasped.

"What's happening?!" Serena asked, having never seen Pokemon evolution before.

"Amazing!" said Oak. "Bayleef is evolving!"

As Bayleef glowed, her body began to grow. Her neck and legs became longer, her flower buds blossomed into a single huge flower, and her head leaf split in two and morphed into a pair of flower stamens. Finally, the glow dissipated, revealing a powerful new Pokemon.

"Megaaa!"

"Unbelievable!" the announcer said in awe. "Bayleef has evolved into Meganium!"

The crowd cheered in amazement. Ash, for his part, grinned as he took in his newly-evolved Meganium.

"Alright, Meganium!" he announced. "Let's do this!"

Meganium roared as she raised her front legs into the air. She then plunged them into the ground, sending a shockwave into Arcanine. Shocked, it let its flames dissipate as it attempted to recover.

"Awesome!" Ash said. "You learned Earthquake!"

Meganium cried out, happy to have her trainer's approval.

"Now slam Arcanine down into the ground!"

Meganium wrapped its vines all over Arcanine, holding it as tight as she could. She then lifted it into the air, then slammed it into the ground with as much strength as she could muster.

"Finish it with Body Slam!"

Meganium jumped into the air, using her vines to push herself up as high as she could. She then pulled on those vines again and let herself fall on top of her opponent.

"Arcanine!" Gary yelled.

Meganium landed on the defenseless fire type Pokemon with a loud thud, causing a huge cloud of dust to lift up. She then untangled her vines and pulled them back into her body. Finally, she walked off, revealing an unconscious Arcanine.

"Arcanine is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Meganium is the winner!"

"Unbelievable!" the announcer yelled as Arcanine's image vanished. "With the help of a timely evolution, Meganium was able to overcome its disadvantage!"

Up in the stands, Serena was jumping for joy.

"That was so awesome!" she said happily. "I can't believe Ash was able to pull that off!"

"Well, that's Ash for you," said Delia. "He always manages to pull off the most unexpected ways to win, even when the odds seem stacked against him!"

On the sidelines, Misty and Brock were cheering happily, and even Pikachu was looking up happily.

"That was amazing!" said Misty. "Meganium is so powerful!"

"Who knew something like that would happen?" said Brock. "I was worried for a second there, but Meganium managed to pull through!"

"Pikachuuu."

Gary recalled his Arcanine, then took a fond look at his Pokeball.

"Well done, old friend. Take a good long rest."

He then looked back at Ash as he grabbed another Pokeball.

"All right, Ash! It's the end of the road for you!"

He then tossed the ball into the air. It burst open, unveiling a red insectoid pokemon.

"Scizor!"

"Gary's fifth Pokemon is a Scizor!" the announcer said as Scizor's picture appeared in Gary's fifth team slot.

"We're ready for anything!" Ash declared. Right, Meganium?"

"Megaa!"

"Well," said Gary, "I guess I'll just have to prove you wrong! I still have the advantage!"

"So did Arcanine, and we still beat it!" Ash yelled. "Meganium! Use Earthquake!"

Meganium slammed her legs into the ground, letting loose a shockwave that tore through the ground.

"Scizor! Dodge!"

Scizor flew upwards, narrowly escaping the attack.

"Now use Metal Claw!"

"Catch it with Vine Whip!

Scissor flew downwards with glowing pincers. Before it could do any damage, however, it was caught by the herb Pokémon's vines. Gary, however, was undaunted.

"Pull Meganium towards you!"

Scizor landed, then pulled its pincers forth. Meganium tried to keep itself on the ground, but was pulled forward by the pincer Pokémon's strength.

"Now use Iron Head!"

Scizor smashed its head into Meganium, causing her to release her hold on it.

"Now use X-Scissor!"

Scizor slashed its pincers in a cross motion, causing massive damage to Meganium. She grimaced at the strength of the Super-Effective attack, but did not submit.

"Metal Claw!" Gary shouted.

"Counter it with Razor Leaf!" Ash commanded.

Meganium tossed out a volley of sharp leaves, which collided with Scizor's powerful claws. Caught off guard, the pincer Pokémon was thrown back.

"Now catch it with Vine Whip!"

Scizor barely had time to react before Meganium wrapped her vines sound its whole body.

"Body Slam!"

"Iron Head!"

Meganium jumped up onto Scizor, only for it to slam its head against her body. However, this was not enough to stop it from being crushed under the herb Pokémon's bulk.

"Scizor!" Gary called.

Meganium got off, recoiling her vines as she did. As she walked off, however, Scizor began to stir. Ash groaned as it did. Just how tough was this Pokémon?!

"Okay, Meganium!" he called. "It's time to finish this up! Use Solar Beam!"

Meganium cried out as her flower began to glow with the sun's energy. As it got brighter, Gary begun to worry.

"Scizor! Get up!"

Scizor groaned as it got up, but snapped out of it when it saw the imminent danger.

"Counter it with Hyper Beam!"

Scizor nodded, and pressed it's open pincers together. As quickly as it could, it charged up a ball of yellowish white energy.

"Fire!"

Both Pokémon unleashed their respective beams at the exact same moment. The two attacks flew off towards their targets, before meeting in the middle and creating a huge explosion. Smoke burst forth, obscuring everything from view.

"Unbelievable!" the announcer declared. "Who will come out on top?!"

Ash held his breath as the smoke cleared. He couldn't tell who had won, but he was hoping that it was Meganium. He then realized, to his shock, that both combatants were still standing. They were panting heavily as they struggled to remain on their feet, but they refused to give in.

For a moment, Meganium stared at Scizor with a smile. The red bug had proven to be a very tough opponent, and she actually felt a certain degree of respect for it.

Then, both Meganium and Scizor collapsed, unable to withstand any more damage.

"Meganium!" yelled Ash

"Scizor!" Gary gasped.

The referee lifted his flags. "Both combatants are unable to battle!"

All around the stadium, people cheered as two icons vanished from the scoreboard.

"What an amazing battle!" the announcer exclaimed. "Both Pokémon did their best, and in the end, they were both too stubborn to quit! But now Ash is down to his last Pokémon, while Gary still has two left! Can Ash overcome this disadvantage? Or will Gary move on to the next round?"

In the stands, Serena was particularly worried. She was amazed that Meganium had managed to do so well despite its huge disadvantages, but now Ash was down to one Pokémon.

"I just hope that whatever Ash has can stand up to that Blastoise!"

Back on the battlefield, Ash was returning Meganium to her Pokeball. As he did, he gave it a fond look.

"Thank you, Meganium. You battled wonderfully, even with those type disadvantages. I'm proud of you."

He then put the ball away, and grabbed another one. He then looked out onto the field, where Gary had already sent out his Umbreon to fight.

"You're all I have left," he said as he held his final Pokeball. "I know it's going to be a tough battle, but I believe in you! So you go out there, fight as hard as you can, and don't give up until it's over!"

He tossed the Pokeball as hard as he could.

"Charizard! I choose you!"

The ball burst open, revealing the powerful draconic Pokémon. Charizard roared as it emerged, determined to gain victory.

"And Ash's final Pokémon is Charizard!"

On the scoreboard, the image of Charizard appeared in Ash's final team slot, right across from Umbreon.

"This looks like a tough opponent," the announcer said. "But can it stand up to both Umbreon and Blastoise?"

Ash and Charizard glanced at each other. They were going to win, no matter what!

"Charizard!" Ash called. "Flamethrower!"

"Double Team!"

Charizard breathed out a huge blast of fire, only for Umbreon to split into a multitude of copies.

"Now use swift!"

A barrage of star-shaped rays flew out from all directions. Charizard tried to dodge, but it was hit effortlessly.

"Charizard!" Ash yelled. "Flamethrower again!"

"Dodge with Quick Attack!"

Charizard attempted another Flamethrower, only for Umbreon and all of its copies to round around at high speeds, confounding Charizard's attempts to aim. Then, it was hit by Umbreon, who then faded among its copies once again.

Ash gritted his teeth. Umbreon's mobility was too much for Charizard to handle. He had to find a way to even the playing field.

"Charizard!" Ash called. "Fly up!"

The flame Pokémon opened its mighty wings and blasted off, flying high above the battlefield.

"Flamethrower!"

"Dodge it, and fire back with Hidden Power!"

Charizard fired off another blaze, only for it to hit one of the copies. Umbreon then fired off a ball of energy which hit Charizard head on. Ash gritted his teeth as the moonlight evaded every attack, wondering how he was supposed to hit it.

It was at that moment that he noticed something interesting. While Charizard had not managed to hit Umbreon, it had lit some sections of the grassy field on fire each time it had attacked. At that moment, Ash suddenly had a crazy idea.

"Charizard!" he called. "Use Flamethrower on the field!"

"What?!" yelled Gary.

"And Ash has commanded Charizard to attack the arena!" the announcer said in surprise. "But why? What is he planning?"

Charizard wasn't sure how attacking the field was supposed to help, but it decided to trust its trainer. It opened its mouth and let out a huge stream of flames, which fell all over the grassland. The dry grass began to catch on fire, spreading quickly and growing larger and hotter as more and more grass was ignited. Eventually, the referee began to move backwards in fear of the expanding blaze.

"Am I seeing things?!" the announcer exclaimed. "Charizard has turned the entire arena into a blazing inferno!"

Gary had trained Umbreon to be able to battle in many different conditions. From rocky cliffs to frigid snow, the moonlight Pokemon had mastered many different terrains, and could fight with great skill almost anywhere. However, neither it nor its trainer had ever considered the possibility of having to fight in a raging wildfire. And now Umbreon was quickly being overwhelmed.

"Umbreon!" Gary said desperately. "Hang on!"

The moonlight Pokemon tried to resist, but the heat was too much for it to handle. With its mental focus failing, the many copies it had spawned vanished, and it was left at the mercy of Charizard. Seeing this, Ash grinned.

"Charizard! Use Dragon Rage!"

Charizard opened its mouth and unleashed a huge ball of blue fire. Umbreon was too tired to dodge, and was hit dead on. As the attack exploded around it, the moonlight Pokemon was tossed back and fell, defeated.

"No!"

"Umbreon is unable to battle!" the referee said. "Charizard wins!"

Gary quickly returned Umbreon, not wishing for it to take any more damage from the fire.

"Unbelievable!" the announcer said as Umbreon's image vanished from the scoreboard. "Ash has proven to not only be a great trainer, but a master of unconventional tactics!"

"That was crazy!" said Serena. "I never would have thought of something like that!"

"Ash tends to do that," said Delia. "You think he's been cornered, but then he pulls out some crazy tactic out of nowhere and wins the match!"

"And now they're both down to their last Pokemon," Oak said with a frown. "This is going to be a difficult battle for them both."

Gary grimaced as he grabbed Blastoise's Pokeball. Under normal circumstances, he'd be much more confident about sending it out against Charizard. However, Blastoise was tired from taking out as many pokemon as it had, while Charizard had only faced one opponent. Furthermore, for all of their fire resistance, even the strongest water-type Pokemon would hesitate at the prospect of running into a blazing wildfire.

Ultimately, however, he would never give up. He hated to admit it, but he was a lot like Ash in that regard.

"Blastoise!" he declared finally. "I choose you!"

The Pokeball burst open as it landed, revealing the mighty blue Pokemon. It grimaced as it landed in the fiery grassland, however.

"Both combatants are down to their last Pokemon," the announcer declared. "But it looks like Charizard has the advantage!"

"Let's change that!" yelled Gary. "Blastoise! Cool things down with Hydro Pump!"

The shellfish Pokemon was eager to comply, and began to spray the arena. However, as it did, it was left vulnerable.

"Charizard!" Ash yelled. "Fly above it and use Dragon Rage!"

Charizard bellowed as it flapped its wings, flying above its opponent and blasting it with blue flames. Blastoise tried its best to counterattack, but the flame pokemon managed to dodge perfectly.

"Now use Seismic Toss!"

Charizard grabbed the shellfish Pokemon from the back and flew off into the sky. Blastoise tired to shake itself free, but it was unable to do so.

"Blastoise seems to be in trouble!" said the announcer. "How will it get out of this one?!"

Gary watched closely as the two combatants went higher and higher. If Blastoise couldn't get free, then there had to be some way to at least minimize the damage.

 _What would Ash do?_

Then, as Charizard reached its peak, it hit him.

"Blastoise!" he yelled. "Aim for the ground and use Hydro Pump!"

The shellfish Pokemon was far up in the air, but it still managed to hear him. As Charizard began to descend at high speeds, it aimed its cannons straight down. It then waited for the exact moment; it only had one chance to do this.

"Now!"

As Charizard released it, Blastoise unleashed a mighty blast of water from its cannons. The jets slammed into the fiery ground, vaporizing upon impact. At the same time, the pressure of the water slowed down its descent, though not quite as much as Gary had hoped. The mighty water-type slammed into the ground with a loud thud.

Ash held his breath. He had heard Gary's command, and he had quickly figured out what he was trying to do. However, the field was now obscured by a thick shroud of steam, making it impossible to tell what had happened.

Finally, as the cloud began to dissipate, Ash could see clearly. Charizard was on its feet, still ready for action. However, what shocked him the most was that Blastoise had not only managed to hold on, but it was now glowing blue.

"And Blastoise's Torrent ability has been activated!" the announcer said. "Now its water moves will be powered up!"

Ash and Charizard grimaced. This was not good. Gary, on the other hand, was smirking.

"Blastoise! Hydro Pump!"

"Dodge!"

Charizard took of for the sky, just barely evading a massive spout of water directed at it. It then flapped its wings as hard as it could, dodging each blast of water that came its way. Ash frowned, however, knowing that it would be next to impossible to deal any damage back to Blastoise this way.

He then looked around at the battlefield. While most of the flames had been doused, there were still a few patches of burning grass. In addition, there was steam coming off of many of the more recently extinguished patches, obscuring visibility. Ash then had an idea.

"Charizard! Use Fire Spin all around Blastoise!"

The mighty fire-type nodded, and began to fly in circles around the shellfish Pokemon as it blasted out a huge tornado of fire. Blastoise attacked it like usual, but Charizard still managed to dodge despite the close proximity.

Until it was finally hit by a stray blast.

"Charizard!" Ash yelled.

"And Charizard is hit!" the announcer said. "Is this finally it?!"

Ash watched in horror as Charizard fell to the ground. Was this it? Had he failed? Had he gotten too overconfident with his tactics? Was Gary truly a superior trainer?

Miraculously, Charizard slowly got up to its feet. Fortunately, it had only received a glancing blow from Blastoise. Even so, it was in tremendous pain, and both it and Ash realized that it could not take any more damage. And to make matters worse, Blastoise was already putting out the flames around it.

Ash struggled to think of something that he could do. He had managed to buy himself a few seconds of distraction, but it would all be for naught if he didn't take Blastoise out immediately.

Then, to his shock, Charizard's body was engulfed in a blazing-hot aura as its tail flame expanded immensely. Ash knew that, having taken an immense amount of damage, the flame Pokemon's Blaze ability had most likely been activated. This, however, felt like something even more extreme. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before.

Then, Charizard turned back to look at him. And then, in that moment, the two of them understood.

Charizard had just learned its ultimate attack.

At that moment, the steam around Blastoise dissipated, and Ash knew it was now or never.

" **Charizard! Blast Burn!** "

With a mighty roar, Charizard unleashed a colossal wave of heat. It flew towards its target at incredible speeds, catching Blastoise off guard. The shellfish Pokemon was then engulfed in a titanic explosion that rocked the entire stadium. Everyone was forced to cover their eyes as the intense flames rose for the sky.

"I can't see anything!" Serena yelled.

"What just happened?!" Grace said in shock.

"That was Charizard's most powerful attack!" said Professor Oak.

Finally, the flames dissipated, leaving behind a huge cloud of smoke. Ash held his breath as he waited to see what emerged from the explosion. Soon he could see the figure of Charizard, still standing. It was clearly exhausted, but pleased with itself. As more smoke was blown away, Ash looked around for Blastoise.

Finally, he caught the shape of something lying in the center of the explosion's radius. After just a few seconds, it became clear that it was Blastoise. And even more clear was the fact that it was in absolutely no condition to battle.

"Blastoise is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "The match goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!"

"And there you have it, folks!" the announcer said as Ash's picture took over the entire scoreboard. "After a truly impressive battle, Ash has managed to come out victorious!"

Cheers erupted all around the stadium. In particular, one group was incredibly happy.

"You did it, Ash!" yelled Delia. "I knew you could!"

"He did it!" Serena said ecstatically as she jumped for joy. "He really did it! Ash won that battle!"

"He really is something, isn't he?" Grace commented. "I'm looking forward to seeing more of him in the future."

Down on the sidelines, Misty, Brock, and the Pokemon were cheering loudly.

"Well done, Ash!" said Brock. "You were amazing!"

"I knew you could do it!" said Misty.

"Pi-Pikachu!"

"Togepriii!"

For a moment, Ash was speechless. He could hardly believe he'd won. He just watched wordlessly, almost expecting everything to suddenly fade away before he woke up in his room.

But this was not a dream. This was real.

His mouth widened into a huge grin as he looked at Charizard.

"We did it!"

He ran off towards Charizard and caught him in a huge hug. Charizard winced, but hugged its trainer back regardless.

"You were awesome, buddy!"

Charizard grunted appreciatively, happy to have emerged victorious.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, Gary returned Blastoise to its Pokeball, still shocked by what had just happened.

 _I can't believe it…_ Gary thought to himself. _I… lost? To Ash?_

* * *

 _ **A/N: And there you have it! I didn't want the battle with Gary to be exactly like the original, so I changed several things. For one thing, Pikachu got to fight. I mean, I never understood why Ash didn't use Pikachu against Gary. I mean he's his starter! They should have fought Gary together!**_

 _ **…Then again, Pikachu didn't exactly fare too well against Blastoise, so maybe that had something to do with it.**_

 _ **On a more positive note, Bayleef actually helped out in the battle, and she even managed to evolve! Bet you didn't see that one coming! Also, Charizard knows its ultimate attack now! What effect will this have in the future?**_

 _ **Anyway, what did you think of that battle? Did you like it? Do you think it could have gone differently? And most important of all, how will the battle between Ash and Calem go?**_


	6. Reconciliation

Ash grinned as he walked off the field. Misty, Brock, and the Pokemon who'd gathered to cheer him on were all congratulating him for his victory.

"That was amazing, Ash!" said Brock. "After all this time, you finally managed to beat him!"

"You really did a great job!" said Misty. "I was actually worried for a moment or two there, but you did amazingly well!"

"Pikaa!"

"Thanks, guys!" said Ash. "You have no idea how psyched I am!"

As they walked into the halls of the stadium, they were greeted by Professor Oak, Delia, Calem, Grace, and Serena.

"You did it, Ash!" Delia said as she hugged him tightly. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Mom!" Ash said in a slightly embarrassed tone. Realizing that everyone was watching, Delia let him go and laughed.

"Well Ash," said Professor Oak. "I must congratulate you for your extraordinary win. Your style is rather unorthodox, but it certainly works!"

"Thanks, Professor," said Ash. "Thanks mom."

The two gave Ash a smile and nodded. Before Ash could say anything more, Serena spoke up.

"Ash! That was amazing! Your Pokemon are so strong! And you managed to defeat all of Gary's Pokemon even when he had the advantage over you! You're a great trainer!"

Ash was speechless for a moment as his cheeks began to turn visibly red. Misty noticed this, and began to grit her teeth.

"I, uh… thanks Serena."

"Hey, Ash?"

Ash was snapped out of his trance by Calem, who was grinning at him.

"I'm looking forward to our battle."

Excited by the prospect of another battle, Ash grinned.

"Me too!"

For a moment, the two trainers smiled with determination as they gazed at each other. They had both managed to make it through some incredibly challenging battles, and they were more determined than ever to make it to the top.

Then a familiar voice interrupted.

"Hiii, Calem!"

Ash blinked as a mass of reddish-brown hair suddenly appeared between him and Calem. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was Macy.

"I just wanted to say that your battle was so very elegant to watch! You and your Pokemon are so very powerful!"

A drop of sweat rolled down the foreheads of every person present.

"Ash?" Delia asked. "Who is that?"

"Macy," Ash explained. "She fought me in the semifinals, and now she's following Calem."

"...I see."

Meanwhile, up in front, Calem was trying his best to find a way to escape.

"Well, uh, thank you, Macy. But I really need to go. I need to… get my Pokemon to the Pokemon Center and get them healed up for… their next battle!"

"Well, I guess you could do that," said Macy. "But after that, I'd like to see you as soon as possible! We still have a lot to talk about! We still need to plan out the rest of our lives together!"

"Um, yeah," said Calem. "Look, Macy. I'm flattered and everything, but-"

"Hey, Macy?" Ash interrupted. "I don't think Calem has time for you right now. He really needs to get ready for his next battle."

Macy turned around and gave Ash a glare that made the hairs on the back of his head jump skywards.

"And why exactly should he need to prepare? After all, he's the strongest trainer in the entire conference!"

"The second," said Ash. "I'm the first, and he's battling me tomorrow."

To Ash's surprise, Macy grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him towards herself.

"Let me tell you something, Ash. You may have beaten me, but that does not mean that you're better than Calem! And once he wins the whole conference, we'll celebrate it together, and then we'll go off to live in a beautiful castle full of servants, and you'll be our court jester!"

Ash stared at her blankly. He was starting to wonder what was going on in her head.

"…Pikachu?" Pikachu asked in a surprisingly deadpan tone.

"What Pikachu said," said Ash.

"I don't care!" said Macy. "Now, Calem! Let's go off! I have big plans for tonight!"

She the turned around to face the trainer of her dreams, only to find him gone.

"Oh come on!" she yelled out. "Not again!"

She then ran off to find him, leaving the bemused group behind.

"Well," said Professor Oak.

"That happened," said Grace.

"Is this sort of thing going to keep going on?" asked Delia.

Ash just sighed in response.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the hotel, a technician was repairing one of the television screens. It had mysteriously stopped working at some point during the battle between the two trainers from Pallet Town, and no one was quite sure why. Even the technician wasn't entirely sure what had caused the device to break down.

"What is wrong with this thing?" he said as he looked through the various wires and cables inside. Try as he might, however, he was unable to find any fault in the machine.

Then, as he pressed one of the many parts, he suddenly heard a voice.

"Ha! Look at you! Do you really think you can figure anything out?! You suck at being a handyman!"

The man froze. It sounded to him as if the voice had come out of the television itself. But that made no sense! The machine was unplugged! How could any sound have come out of it?

"Ooh! Maybe it's magic!"

Bewildered by the strange events, he turned the television around to look at the screen. To his shock, there was a strange orange face smiling at him.

"Think fast!"

The man yelled out in shock as he was hit with a huge current of electricity. As it dissipated, a strange mass of plasma emerged from the machine and began to float in the air. The manager, who had been running up to the technician to help him, stopped and stared in shock.

"What is that thing?!"

The technician groaned as he got back up. His eyes then widened when he saw the strange being that was now floating in front of him.

"Is that… a Pokemon?"

"I don't care!" said the manager. "Get it out!"

The technician attempted to grab it, only for the mysterious entity to dive towards the closest electrical socket. It then turned into a stream of orange plasma and was sucked into the socket.

For a moment, neither the manager or the technician said a single word. They were too shocked by the strange sequence of occurrences that had happened in the last few minutes. However, once the shock wore off, the technician's eyes narrowed.

"Sir, I think I know what's been causing all of the malfunctions in our machines in the last few days."

* * *

Ash sat up in his bed. He was still amazed that he'd managed to defeat Gary. He had always dreamed of defeating him, and yet he'd never really considered the possibility of actually defeating him. Now that he had finally done so, however, he was no longer sure of what to feel.

Quietly, he got out of his bed. Once again, Pikachu was woken up, and once again, Ash let him up onto his shoulder. Then, they made their way out of the room.

It was just like the night that Ash and Serena had reunited. The moon was shining brightly, reflecting off of the lake below. The trees were gently swaying in the light breeze as the stars twinkled above. The raven-haired trainer couldn't help but wish Serena could have come out to enjoy the night with him.

However, as he approached the rock where he had found his old friend the other day, he saw that there was someone sitting on it. However, this time it was a boy around his age, with spiky brown hair.

"Gary?"

His old rival looked up in surprise. He hadn't expected to see Ash.

"Can't sleep either, Ashy-boy?" Gary asked.

"No," Ash admitted. "I've had a lot on my mind."

"Yeah, I get it," Gary said calmly. "You finally managed to surpass me, your Pokemon are stronger than ever, and to top it off, your girlfriend finally came back."

"Gary!" Ash said in frustration.

"Heh, sorry, Ash."

Ash blinked. Gary had almost never said sorry in the past, unless it was with an extremely sarcastic tone. This time, however, it seemed genuine. Indeed, Ash couldn't detect the slightest trace of sarcasm or malice in him. This time, his greatest rival seemed to be truly sincere.

"You did really well," said Gary. "Especially your Meganium and Charizard. Meganium has a lot of heart, and Charizard has a lot of guts. They really pulled you through this one."

"Yeah," Ash said with a smile. "I'm really proud of those two."

"Mmhm."

The two then looked up at the moon for a moment. It was shining brightly as it illuminated everything below it. Looking at it made Ash think about everything he'd managed to achieve ever since he started on his journey. From the day he and Pikachu had first started out on their journey, to the present, when he'd finally defeated his greatest rival.

"Hey, Ash?" Gary asked suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think any of this would have happened if things had happened differently?"

What do you mean?" asked Ash.

"Well, what if you hadn't been late and had to choose Pikachu as your starter?" Gary mused. "Or what if we hadn't fought over that old Pokeball? Or what if you hadn't met Serena at my Gramps' summer camp? How different would everything have been?"

Ash turned to Pikachu, who seemed just as surprised as him.

"I.. don't know," Ash admitted. "I mean, everything that's happened to me has seemed pretty random, I guess."

"I don't think so," Gary said, causing Ash and Pikachu to look at him. "There are many who believe that what we perceive as our destiny is really just shaped by our decisions and actions across our lives. Everything we do, no matter how small, creates tiny changes. Over time, many tiny changes add up, creating huge changes that no one could possibly have foreseen. And this can happen with anything, even something as small as helping out a little girl who hurt her knee."

At this, Ash blushed intensely, while Pikachu snickered to himself. Gary just smiled, and then reached into his pocket. He then pulled out a small red object and handed it to Ash, who raised an eyebrow as he took it. However, his eyes quickly widened in realization.

"Is that…"

"The other half of the Pokeball," Gary said. "When we tied, I felt like it was just as bad as losing to you. But now, you showed me that you truly are good enough to win. So you deserve it as much as anyone else. Consider it a good luck token from a friend."

As Ash took the old Pokeball half in his hand, he smiled. Everything he'd ever thought about Gary seemed to vanish, and for the first time, he didn't feel any animosity towards him.

"A friend," Ash repeated.

"Yeah," said Gary. "We've been rivals for a long time. It's about time we became friends."

Ash smiled as he pocketed the pokeball half. He then stretched out his hand towards Gary, who took it. Pikachu watched in amazement as the once fierce rivalry faded, leaving behind the beginnings of a new friendship.

"Hey Ash," said Gary. "You go out and win this tournament. I know you can."

Ash smiled. "Thanks, Gary. You can bet that I'm going to be the winner this time!"

"PikaPika!"

The two trainers smiled for a moment, then looked back up towards the sky. The meeting had been surprising, but it had been the best thing ever to happen between the two of them.

* * *

The next day, Ash stepped onto the battlefield, with Pikachu right next to him. All around him, people were cheering from the stands, excited to see another match between powerful trainers. And far behind him, Brock, Misty, and Togepi were watching excitedly.

"And here we are, folks!" the announcer said. "Two skilled trainers from different regions have just arrived on the battlefield! Ash Ketchum, a trainer from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region, and Calem Xavier, who hails from Aquacorde Town in the faraway Kalos Region! This is bound to be a match to remember!"

Up in the stands, Serena was fidgeting nervously. She had no idea who she was supposed to root for. Calem was her cousin, but Ash was her closest friend. She knew only one could come out on top, so who was she going to support?

"This is going to be such a great match!" said Delia. "I can't wait to see how Ash and Calem battle!"

"I know," said Grace. "Although, I'm quite certain that Calem is going to come out on top."

"We'll see about that!" said Delia. She then turned back to the battlefield and shouted out "You can do it Ash!"

Back down on the field, the floor began to open and sink downwards. A few seconds later, a huge battlefield made of ice emerged.

"And now that the field has been chosen, it's time to determine who will go first!" the announcer said as pictures of both trainers appeared on the scoreboard. Then, a dial began to spin between red, for Calem, and green, for Ash. After a few moments, it settled on a red tile.

"And the first move goes to Calem!" said the announcer.

"Alright!" Calem said as he grabbed a Pokeball. "Chesnaught! I choose you!"

The pokeball burst open, revealing the huge form of Calem's starter. Curious, Ash decided to open his newly-updated Pokedex.

"Chesnaught, the Spiny Armor Pokemon," the machine said. "When Chesnaught takes a defensive posture with its fists guarding its face, it can withstand a bomb blast."

"Chesnaught is really tough," Ash said as he grabbed a Pokeball. "In that case, I choose you! Muk!"

The ball burst open, revealing a Pokemon that looked like a huge pile of slime.

"And our first match is Chesnaught against Muk!" the announcer said as pictures of both Pokemon appeared on the scoreboard. "Now how will these Pokemon fare against each other?"

Ash smiled with determination as he took in the sight of the battlefield. He knew that Calem was going to be a tough opponent. Possibly even tougher than Gary. But that did not matter to him. He was in it to win.

Across the field, Calem was equally determined. He had seen Ash in battle, and knew he was not a trainer to take lightly. However, he would never back down from a fight, especially when he was as close to victory as he was now.

The moment of truth had arrived. The referee lifted his flags.

"Battle begin!"

* * *

 ** _A/N: Yes, that was a short chapter. Still, plenty managed to happen, so yeah. I promise that the next one will be much more substantial._**

 ** _Next time: Ash and Calem battle! Who will win? Who will Serena root for? And how much longer before that pesky Rotom's reign of terror is finally stopped? Find the answers to all those questions soon!_**


	7. Mighty League Battle! Ash VS Calem!

The moment the referee spoke, Ash and Calem called out their attacks.

"Sludge Bomb!"

"Mud Shot!"

Muk shot out a huge blob of toxic waste. However, Chesnaught countered with a powerful stream of mud. As the two attacks collided, they exploded, flinging balls of sludge all over the icy arena.

"Move in and hit it with a Poison Jab!" Ash ordered. Muk complied, charging at his opponent with an outstretched glowing arm.

"Spiky Shield!"

Chesnaught slammed his arms together and extended a shield around itself. Muk tried to stop, but slammed into the spiked defense, injuring himself.

"Now use Seed Bomb!"

Chesnaught dropped its shield and blasted Muk with a barrage of exploding seeds. While the attack wasn't too effective, receiving so many of them at such close range did plenty of damage to Muk.

"Muk!" Ash yelled. "Sludge Bomb!"

The sludge Pokemon spat a ball of waste right into his opponent's face. Chesnaught yelled out, but did not go down yet.

"Drain Punch!"

"Poison Jab!"

Both Pokemon slammed their arms against each other; Muk was doing plenty of damage with his poison arm, but Chesnaught was keeping himself steady by siphoning energy out.

"This is an impressive show of close combat!" the announcer said.

The two Pokemon refused to budge, and for a moment it seemed that the stalemate was unbreakable. After a moment, however, Muk managed to push Chesnaught back by a few feet, causing Ash to grin.

"Body Slam!"

Muk flung itself into the air towards Chesnaught, who had no time to put up a shield before he was smothered by the sludge Pokemon's toxic body.

"Cheeeessss!"

"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "Shove it off and use Seed Bomb!"

The spiny armor Pokemon gritted its teeth and shoved his opponent off with as much force as he could. He then spat out several large seeds, which exploded all around his opponent, doing damage to both Muk and the icy field below.

"Muuuuk!"

After a moment, the barrage of seeds came to an end. However, Calem was not going to give Muk a single second to rest.

"Now use Take Down!"

"Dodge it!" Ash yelled desperately.

Muk tried to move out of the way, but Chesnaught was too fast for him; Muk was slammed with extreme force, sending him flying across the stadium. The sludge Pokemon groaned as he landed, his eyes now turned into swirls.

"Muk!" Ash yelled in shock.

"Muk is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Chesnaught is the winner!"

"Amazing!" the announcer declared as Muk's picture vanished. "Even with an advantage in typing, Muk was unable to overcome Chesnaught's sheer power!"

Ash sighed as he lifted up his Pokeball to return Muk. He then looked down at it happily.

"You were great, Muk. Now rest up."

He then looked up towards the field, and grabbed another Pokeball.

"Charizard! I choose you!"

He flung out his next Pokeball, which burst open to reveal the mighty fire dragon. Charizard roared as he landed in front of Chesnaught, causing him to wince slightly.

"And Ash's second Pokemon is Charizard!" the announcer said as Charizard's image appeared on the scoreboard. "Can Chesnaught overcome this typing disadvantage?"

Calem frowned. While he was trusted in Chesnaught, he was also smart enough to realize that he was a terrible match for a fire and flying type. Thus, he quickly grabbed his pokeball.

"Chesnaught, return!" he said as he returned it to its Pokeball.

"And Calem has decided to recall his Chesnaught!" said the announcer. "What Pokemon will he call upon now?"

Calem smiled as he grabbed a Pokeball. He knew exactly what he needed.

"I choose you! Rhydon!"

Calem flung his Pokeball, which opened to reveal a large gray pokemon with a single horn on its nose. Ash frowned as he remembered Calem's Rhyhorn.

"So, it's evolved since then," he mused to himself.

Up in the stands, Grace was groaning.

"I can't believe he evolved his Rhyhorn," she said sadly. "Rhyhorn are perfect for racing!"

"Yeah," muttered Serena. "Just perfect."

Back down on the field, Charizard and Rhydon were staring each other down. Charizard may have had a disadvantage, but he was still determined to win.

"Charizard!" Ash yelled. "Flamethrower!"

The flame Pokemon blew out a huge breath of fire, which hit his target head on. However, Rhydon seemed to be mostly unaffected.

"Rhydon!" Calem yelled. "Use Stone Edge!"

"Dodge it!"

Rhydon fired a number or rocks at Charizard, who quickly opened his wings to fly out of harm's way.

"Charizard!" Ash yelled. "Dragon Rage!"

"Counter it with Stone Edge!"

Charizard fired off a ball of blue fire just as Rhydon flung a volley of sharp rocks. The two attacks collided, creating an explosion.

"Charizard!" Ash called. "Use Flamethrower!"

"Bring it back down with Smack Down!"

Charizard blasted out another scorching blaze from its mouth. Unfortunately, the drill Pokemon countered by firing a glowing yellow ball of rock into the sky. As it reached up to Charizard's level, it exploded, pelting the flame pokemon and causing him to fall downwards.

"Charizard!" Ash said in alarm.

Charizard roared in pain as it hit the icy floor.

"Charizard has been brought back down to earth!" the announcer said. "Can it recover from this?"

"Not if we have anything to say about it!" said Calem. "Use Stone Edge!"

As Ash watched Charizard struggling to get back up, he looked back towards where his Flamethrower had hit. He then realized that the icy ground had been partially melted in some areas. An idea came to him.

"Charizard! Slide on the ice to get away!"

Charizard grunted, and slashed at the floor. Just before the rocks could reach him, he slid out of the way.

"What a creative way to dodge!" the announcer praised.

"Awesome!" said Ash. "Now use Fire Spin below Rhydon!"

"What?!"

Trusting its trainer, Charizard blasted a tornado of flames out below its opponent. The intensely hot blast caused the floor to melt, creating a pool of water below Rhydon. Calem gasped as he realized what was happening, but it was too late.

"Rhydon! Get out of-"

Before he could finish, the drill Pokemon sank, yelling out in pain as he was immersed in water.

"Amazing!" the announcer said. "Ash and Charizard have found a clever way to exploit their opponent's weaknesses!"

Ash smiled, then looked back at Charizard. To his delight, it was already starting to get back to its feet.

"Okay Charizard!" he said. "Finish this with Seismic Toss!"

Charizard opened up its wings and sped off towards its opponent. Rhydon was still grimacing in pain as he tried to get out of the pool, and he was taken by surprise when he felt himself being lifted out. However, he quickly realized that the reason why was not friendly.

"And Charizard is now lifting Rhydon into the air!" the announcer said in amazement. "Can Rhydon escape this predicament?!"

Rhydon struggled to escape Charizard's grasp as he went higher into the air. However, it was all for naught, and the mighty flying-type quickly turned around and dove towards the ground, still holding tightly onto his opponent. He then released Rhydon, tossing him straight into the ground.

"Rhydon!" Calem yelled. However, there was nothing he could do as he watched the large ground-type slam into the ground, throwing shards of ice everywhere. After just a few seconds, it became clear the he was out cold.

"Rhydon is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Charizard wins!"

"That was quite the battle!" the announcer said as Rhydon's image vanished. "That's one tough Charizard, folks!"

Calem sighed as he returned his Rhydon to its Pokeball. He had to admit, he wasn't too surprised. Ash had already proved to be a master of overcoming type disadvantages in his battle against Gary. He knew that this would be a tough battle.

"Well then," he said as he grabbed another Pokeball. "Let's see how you like this one! Gyarados! I choose you!"

He flung his Pokeball out onto the battlefield, where it burst open. With a flash of light, his mighty Gyarados was revealed.

"And Calem's brought out another powerful fighter to deal with Ash's Charizard!" the announcer said as Gyarados' picture appeared on the scoreboard.

"Gyarados, eh?" said Ash. "We can still deal with that, right Charizard?"

Charizard roared in approval, showing that it was still fired up. Calem smiled, impressed by their determination.

"All right, then!" he said. "Gyarados!" Get them with Waterfall!"

"Dodge!"

Gyarados charged at Charizard while enveloped in water, only for the flame Pokemon to fly out of the way.

"Now use Dragon Rage!"

Charizard blasted out a ball of blue fire, which hit Gyarados head on.

"Don't let it hit you like that!" Calem yelled. "Chase it down with Waterfall!"

"Dodge it again, and hit it with Fire Spin!"

Gyarados charged once again as water coated her whole body. However, Charizard was too fast for her, and managed to fly out of the way once more. He then fired off a tornado of fire, which surrounded Gyarados and prevented her from moving any further.

"Now hit it with another Dragon Rage!"

"Counter with your own Dragon Rage!"

The two draconic Pokemon fired off two blazing spheres of blue fire. Both attacks collided in midair and began to push against each other. After a moment, however, Charizard's Dragon Rage overpowered his opponent's, blasting through it before it crashed into Gyarados.

"It looks like Gyarados is in trouble!" the announcer said in amazement.

Calem frowned. As long as Charizard was in the air, its speed was unmatched. He needed to fix that.

"Looks like we'll need to speed things up!" he said. "Dragon Dance!"

"Stop it with Flamethrower!"

Gyarados roared as she began to shake frantically, boosting her attack power and speed. Charizard blasted her with fire in an attempt to stop the move, with no success.

"Now use Waterfall!"

"Dodge it!"

The atrocious Pokemon was surrounded with water as she charged at its opponent. Charizard attempted to fly out of the way, but this time Gyarados was much too fast. The flame Pokemon was hit head on, causing him to fall back to the ground in the very center of the arena.

"Earthquake!"

Gyarados slammed her tail against the ground, sending a shockwave through the battlefield. Charizard roared in pain as he was hit by the wave.

"Charizard!" Ash yelled in horror.

"Finish it with Waterfall!"

Just before Gyarados could begin, Charizard's body began to glow as his tail flame grew. With only a split second to spare, Ash made a decision.

"Blast Burn!"

Gyarados charged, her body surrounded by water. But just as she was about to hit, Charizard blasted out a wave of extreme heat at point-blank range, which exploded all around the two combatants. Ash lifted his hand to shield his eyes, hoping that Charizard would pull through.

After a moment, the intense blaze died down, leaving behind a cloud of smoke and steam. Finally, the cloud dissipated, revealing Charizard standing triumphantly next to a pool of melted ice. Below him, Gyarados was floating in the pool, unconscious.

"Gyarados is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Charizard is the winner!"

"Amazing!" the announcer said as Gyarados' image vanished from the scoreboard. "Once again, Charizard has managed to overcome a typing disadvantage! Is there nothing that can stop it?!"

Calem groaned as he returned Gyarados to its pokeball. He then looked down at it.

"Sorry, Gyarados. I guess I underestimated that Charizard. But you still did great."

He then looked back at Charizard, a thoughtful look on his face.

 _It's managed to take down two of my Pokemon, so it's probably starting to get tired. Even so, it's a very strong opponent, so I need to take it down now!_

With that in mind, he grabbed one of his Pokeballs and flung it out.

"I choose you! Togekiss!"

With a burst of light, a large white Pokemon with two tiny legs and broad wings emerged onto the battlefield and floated in midair. Surprised, Ash opened his Pokedex to scan it.

"Togekiss, the Jubilee Pokemon, and the final evolved form of Togepi. Togekiss visits peaceful regions, bringing them gifts of kindness and sweet blessings."

"So that's what Togepi could become?" Ash said as he put his Pokedex away. "That's really cool!"

"And Calem's fourth Pokemon is a Togekiss!" the announcer said as Togekiss' picture appeared on the scoreboard. "How will it fare against this mighty Charizard?"

Charizard roared in defiance, determined to stand up to any opponent even in his injured state. Seeing this, Ash grinned.

"Okay, Charizard! Fire Spin!"

"Air Slash!"

The flame Pokemon blasted out a ring of fire. However, Togekiss swiped at the air, sending a blade of air that cut through Charizard's attack.

"Charizard!" Ash called. "Flamethrower!"

"Dodge!"

Charizard blasted out a huge breath of fire. However, Togekiss flew away as fast as she could, narrowly dodging the intense blaze.

"Keep firing at it!" Ash yelled. Charizard obeyed, blasting fire at its opponent, only for Togekiss to keep dodging. Finally, the flame pokemon stopped attacking to catch his breath, giving his opponent an opening.

"Togekiss!" Calem called. "Use Aura Sphere!"

"What?!" Ash yelled.

Togekiss collected energy into a glowing blue ball of energy. Ash watched it in awe. While he had never seen the attack before, there was something about it that felt familiar somehow.

He shook his head. He needed to fight back!

"Charizard!" he yelled. "Dragon Rage!

The mighty draconian Pokemon quickly shot a blast of blue fire, which hit its target head on. However, to Ash's shock, Togekiss seemed to be completely unaffected.

"Unbelievable!" the announcer said. "Togekiss didn't even seem to notice!"

Togekiss then fired off the ball of energy, which hit Charizard in the face. He roared out in pain, then began to fall downwards.

"Finish it with Dazzling Gleam!"

"Charizard!" Ash yelled. "Blast Burn!"

Togekiss' body began to glow with white light. She then unleashed a blast of rainbow-colored rays, which slammed all around Charizard. It yelled out in pain, but still managed to expel one last burst of heat, which flew up towards Togekiss and exploded around her . As Charizard hit the icy floor, the flames dissipated, revealing Togekiss to still be conscious, albeit heavily damaged.

"Charizard is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Togekiss is the winner!"

"And Charizard has finally been taken down!" the announcer said as Charizard's image faded from the scoreboard. "But Togekiss has taken a lot of damage!"

Ash sighed as he returned Charizard to his Pokeball. He then smiled as he looked at the ball.

"You did great, Charizard. Now take a good rest."

As he put the Pokeball away, Pikachu yelled out, raising his fists. Ash looked down at him and smiled.

"So you want to try your luck with Togekiss?" Ash said as he looked at Pikachu.

"Pika-Pikachu!"

Ash smiled and nodded. "Okay then! Pikachu, I choose you!"

Pikachu grinned and ran out onto the battlefield. He then winced as he slipped slightly on the icy ground.

"And Pikachu has made its way onto the field!" the announcer said as Pikachu's image appeared on the scoreboard.

"Okay, Pikachu!" Ash called. "Let's start this off with Thunderbolt!"

"Dodge!"

Pikachu shot off a bolt of electricity at Togekiss, who just barely managed to dodge in time.

"Keep it up!"

Pikachu cried out as it unleashed another blast of electricity. Togekiss flew out of the way, but one of her wings was grazed by the bolt, injuring her slightly. Calem winced at this, then called out.

"Togekiss! Use Aura Sphere!"

The jubilee Pokemon charged up its mysterious attack once more, causing Ash to panic.

"Pikachu! Dodge it!"

Pikachu attempted to run away, but he slipped on the ice and fell to the floor. Smirking, Togekiss fired her Aura Sphere, hitting the mouse Pokemon dead on and sending him flying into the air.

"Pikachu!"

"Finish it with Dazzling Gleam!"

Ash gritted his teeth as Togekiss began to glow. There had to be a way to get out of this. But Pikachu was in the air, with no way to move away or-

And then Ash had an idea.

"Pikachu!" he yelled. "Blast yourself upwards with Thunderbolt!"

The small electric rodent gritted his teeth as he let out a large discharge of electrical energy. The blast began to slow down his descent, but not fast enough, for he was still in the line of fire.

"Don't give up, Pikachu! Keep it up!"

As he said this, Togekiss fired off her blazing rainbow. Pikachu kept struggling, pouring more and more energy into his Thunderbolt. He was not willing to go down just yet. He had to endure!

And then he began to rocket upwards, right before the blast could hit him.

"What?!"

Pikachu felt something rising within him. It was as if the electricity was somehow pushing him upwards, preventing gravity from taking hold and pulling him back down. As his cheeks sparked, excitement took over, causing him to flip out his tail and place both of his feet onto it. He then let the energy surrounding him to push him forwards, crying out in joy as the current pushed him forwards.

"Pikachuuu!"

"Unbelievable!" the announcer said in awe. "It looks like Pikachu has learned Magnet Rise!"

"Magnet Rise?!" Ash said in shock. However, he didn't dwell on it too much. He had a battle to win! "Pikachu! Chase after Togekiss! Then land on it and use Thunderbolt!"

"Dodge!" Calem yelled desperately.

Togekiss flew off as fast as she could, but Pikachu was already far too close. The electric mouse cried out as he landed on his opponent's back, then unleashed a massive blast of electric energy. The jubilee Pokemon screamed in pain before she went crashing back down to the floor, utterly defeated. Pikachu then bounced off, smiling in satisfaction.

"Togekiss!" Calem shouted, to no avail.

"Togekiss is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Pikachu is the winner!"

"And a timely new move helps Pikachu pull through!" the announcer said as Togekiss' image disappeared from the scoreboard. "And since one trainer has lost three Pokemon, a five-minute break shall now take place!"

Calem sighed as he returned Togekiss to its Pokeball, he then looked at it fondly.

"Well done, buddy. You helped a lot by defeating that Charizard. It would have been a real threat to Chesnaught if it wasn't for you."

He then looked back out onto the field. Ash may have been ahead of him, but he was still perfectly capable of making a comeback. There was no reason to worry yet.

Up in the stands, however, Serena was worrying. She was happy to see Ash winning, but at the same time, she was worried about Calem. What would Ash say if he lost? Would he get angry and stomp off in frustration, leaving her alone again? Would he be so depressed he'd give up on his dream? What if he won? Would Calem and the rest of her family hate Ash so much that she'd never be able to see Ash again?

She shook her head. That was all crazy talk!

...Right?

"Hello? Earth to Serena?"

Serena yelped in shock, then realized that her mother, along with Delia and Oak, were staring at her. A mareepish smile formed on her face.

"Sorry, mom. Just… have a lot to think about!"

Grace stared at her for a moment, then turned to Delia with a knowing smile. Serena had no idea what had just transpired, but she quickly decided that she didn't want to know.

"Anyway," said Delia, "how do you think Pikachu was able to pull that off, Professor? I've never seen anything like that!"

"It's certainly intriguing," Oak said, deep in thought. "While Pikachu aren't normally capable of learning Magnet Rise, they can be taught the move by skilled trainers. There are other methods of learning unusual moves, but none that fit the current situation. Unless…"

"Unless what?"

Oak didn't answer. He was merely thinking to himself about the strange abilities Pikachu had suddenly displayed. He'd have to look into them later.

Meanwhile, down on the sidelines, Ash and Pikachu were talking to Brock and Misty.

"Man, Calem is just a much of a trainer as I thought he'd be," Ash said. "I can't believe he's already taken down Muk and Charizard!"

"Hey, don't worry about it," said Misty. "You're at an advantage right now!"

"Just don't get overconfident, and everything should work out," said Brock.

"Gotcha," Ash said with a thumbs up. "You bet that we're going to win!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

As Ash and Pikachu smiled, the raven haired boy's eyes fell to the small pokemon that was currently nestled within Misty's arms.

"It's pretty amazing that Togepi could become a Togekiss like that one," Ash said, causing Misty's eyes to open in curiosity.

"That was Togepi's evolved form?" she asked.

"Oh yeah," said Brock. "I heard that Togepi could become a Togetic, and then Togekiss. It's pretty amazing that we saw one in action today!"

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "I still can't believe it was able to shrug off that Dragon Rage like it was nothing!"

"Well, it might have been."

Ash, Misty, and Pikachu all looked at Brock, surprised by his words.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Ash.

"Well, you know how that Steel and Dark types were discovered recently?"

"Yeah," said Misty. "Everyone knows about that."

"Of course everyone knows," said Brock. "What not everyone knows, however, is that after the discovery of the steel and dark types, some inconsistencies in the matchups of those two types with certain Pokemon began to pop up."

"What do you mean?" asked Ash.

"Well," said Brock, "Sometimes, those attacks would deal more or less damage to certain Pokemon, particularly those believed to be normal types. In addition, those Pokemon also seemed to take unusual levels of damage from attacks of other types, and they could use attacks that did equally strange levels of damage."

"How is that possible?" Misty asked.

"Several prominent Pokemon researchers, most notably Professor Birch of the Hoenn region and Professor Sycamore of the Kalos region, believe that it may be evidence for a third new type."

Ash, Misty, and Pikachu all gasped at the news.

"Another new type?" Ash said in amazement.

"Exactly," said Brock. "And it looks like Togekiss- and by extension, Togepi- could be one of them. It would be the most likely explanation for why it was able to resist that Dragon Rage."

"You mean… Togepi has a new type?" Misty asked in shock.

"Togepriii!" the spike ball Pokemon giggled, oblivious to the life-altering events happening around it.

"Most likely."

Ash was shocked by the news. A third new type? This was amazing! Could he obtain a Pokemon of this brand new type?

Of course, his break was about to end. He could worry about this later.

"Well, maybe we can talk about this later," he said. "Right now, I've got a battle to win."

"Good luck!" said Brock.

"Go win, Ash!" said Misty.

"Togepriiii!"

Ash and Pikachu smiled at each other as they walked back towards the battlefield. Calem had already taken his place and had a Pokeball in his hand. Ash smiled, determined to win.

"Let the battle recommence!" the referee announced.

"Let's go, Weavile!"

A Pokeball flew through the air and burst open, revealing the sharp claw Pokemon. Ash grinned and turned to Pikachu.

"Ready, buddy?"

"Pikachu!"

"Then I choose you!" Pikachu!

Pikachu happily leaped out onto the icy battlefield. He then grimaced slightly as he slipped around.

"And the current matchup is Pikachu against Weavile!" the announcer declared.

"Battle begin!" yelled the referee. The instant the words left his mouth, the two trainers were already giving out their first orders.

"Thunderbolt!"

"Ice Shard!"

A bolt of electrical energy collided with a flurry of sharpened pieces of ice. The result was an explosion of icy particles which flew out in all directions.

"Weavile!" Calem commanded. "Use Night Slash!"

"Dodge it!"

Pikachu tried to run out of the way, but his feet slipped on the ice, causing him to stumble. Seeing this, Weavile grinned maniacally and charged, his claws extending outwards with purple energy.

"Being an ice type, it seems Weavile has no trouble getting across the ice!" the announcer said. "But Pikachu is having trouble!"

Ash gritted his teeth. He needed to get Pikachu out somehow. But with the floor being so icy, Pikachu would slip if he tried to-

And then it hit him.

"Pikachu! Magnet Rise!"

The mouse Pokemon began to charge up its electricity once more, and then blasted off just before Weavile could hit him. The fierce black Pokemon snarled as his target escaped, but he was not about to let the yellow rodent get off so easily.

"Weavile! Ice Shard!"

"Dodge it!"

Pikachu let his legs rest on his tail, and then surfed off. A barrage of sharp icicles shot past him, but he was able to stay just out of range of the projectiles. Weavile snarled and gave chase, hurling more and more icicles. The mouse Pokemon had no trouble getting out of the way, however. Grinning, Ash made his move.

"Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu's cheeks began to glow with electricity, and he began to fire his attack.

And then he began to fall.

"Pika?!"

"What?!" Ash yelled in shock.

"It appears that Pikachu's having trouble with its Magnet Rise!" the announcer said.

As Pikachu fell, Calem saw his opportunity.

"Weavile! Take it down with Night Slash!"

The sharp claw Pokemon ran off, extending his claws as much as it could. It then jumped up towards the falling Pikachu and slashed him as hard as it could. Pikachu yelled out in pain as he was hit by the attack, but the worst was yet to come.

"Finish it with Ice Punch!"

Weavile's fist was coated in freezing energy as he slammed it into Pikachu, sending him flying across the battlefield. He then landed right next to Ash, defeated.

"Pikachu!" Ash said in shock.

"Pikaaa…"

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Weavile wins!"

Seeing its opponent defeated, Weavile began to laugh hysterically as he began to dance around. After only a second, however, he fell on one knee and screeched out in pain. Calem gasped as he saw his Pokemon, wondering what had happened.

"Weavile!" he said, before he noticed something alarming; there were small sparks of electricity coming out from his body.

"Weavile has managed to take down Pikachu, but not without a heavy price!" the announcer declared. "It looks like Pikachu's static ability has paralyzed it!"

Ash took Pikachu in his arms, contemplating what he'd heard. While it was certainly strong, Weavile's greatest asset seemed to be his speed. And with that gone, he may well be unable to match up to whatever Ash sent out next.

As he reached the sidelines, he stroked his partner's cheeks kindly.

"You did great, buddy. Now get some rest."

"Chuuuu."

Brock and Misty smiled as they took him.

"We'll take care of Pikachu, Ash," said Brock.

"You just go and win," said Misty.

"Thanks, guys," said Ash. "I know I can count on you!"

He then turned away and began to walk back to the battlefield. As he walked, he grabbed a Pokeball, ready to defeat the troublesome Weavile.

"All right!" he said as he tossed a Pokeball. "Squirtle, I choose you!"

The ball burst open, revealing the tiny turtle Pokemon. He grinned as he lay eyes on his opponent, who was still cringing in pain.

"Ash's fourth Pokemon is Squirtle!" the announcer said as Squirtle's picture appeared on the scoreboard. "Can Weavile overcome its crippling status condition?"

Despite the pain, Weavile grinned and flexed his claws, showing that he was still determined to fight. Satisfied, Calem called out an attack.

"Ice Shard!"

"Dodge it with Rapid Spin!"

Weavile began to fling its sharp icicles, although with less speed than before. Squirtle, on the other hand, was just as fast at dodging projectiles as he had ever been, and he moved away in no time at all.

"Water Gun!"

"Dodge it!" yelled Calem.

Weavile attempted to move, but the paralysis was too strong, and he was hit by a stream of water. He yelled out in pain as he was pushed away, unable to resist his attacker.

"Now use Skull Bash!"

"Counter it with Night Slash!" Calem said desperately.

Squirtle tucked his head in, then charged at Weavile. The sharp claw Pokemon attempted to strike back, but was too slow, and he was hit hard enough to send it flying.

"Weavile!" Calem commanded. "Try using Ice Shard!"

Weavile gritted his teeth and began to fling as many icicles as he could. Squirtle's eyes widened as the shards approached, but he knew he would be unable to dodge them.

"Come on, Squirtle!" Ash called. "You can beat this! Use Water Gun to spray them away!"

Squirtle grinned and spat out a stream of water, pushing the icy attack way. Weavile gritted his teeth and extended his claws, daring its opponent to try again.

"Okay, Weavile!" Calem yelled. "Go for a Sucker Punch!"

Weavile grinned as he rushed towards his opponent, no longer bothered by the lack of speed.

And then the paralysis took over, leaving him completely immobile.

"Weavile!" Calem yelled. Ash, on the other hand, saw an opportunity.

"Finish with Hydro Pump!"

Squirtle tucked his body back into his shell, then began to fire a massive amount of water out of every opening. He then slammed into Weavile, sending the sharp claw Pokemon flying into the wall of the stadium. Calem's eyes went wide as he saw his Pokemon falling out, now unconscious.

"Weavile is unable to battle!" the referee said. "Squirtle is the winner!"

"Amazing!" the announcer said as Weavile's image vanished. "Weavile's paralysis was too much for it, and Squirtle was able to take it down with no problem!"

Calem sighed as he returned Weavile to his pokeball. It seemed like Pikachu had managed to defeat it after all.

"Don't worry, Weavile," he said as he held the ball. "You still did great."

He then grabbed another Pokeball. It was exactly what he needed to take down a water-type like Squirtle.

"I choose you! Heliolisk!"

With a flash of light, a bipedal Pokemon with a yellow body and black head emerged. Ash raised an eyebrow in surprise as he looked at it.

"Who's that Pokemon?" he wondered as he pulled out his Pokedex.

"Heliolisk, the Generator Pokemon," the machine said. "Heliolisk produces enough electricity to power a large building and recharges by spreading its frills."

"So it's an electric-type, huh?" said Ash. "Be careful, Squirtle!"

"Squirt-Squirt!"

"And Calem has brought out another Pokemon foreign to the Johto region!" the announcer said as Heliolisk's image appeared on the scoreboard. "Will it be enough?"

"I think it will be!" said Calem. "Heliolisk! Use Thunderbolt!"

"Withdraw!"

Squirtle shrunk back into his shell as the electric attack hit him. While it was somewhat painful, the tough shell had protected him somewhat.

"Squirtle!" Ash called. "Use Skull Bash!"

"Counter with Hyper Voice!"

The generator Pokemon unleashed an earsplitting screech, which sent a wave of energy hurtling towards Squirtle. However, he managed to stay strong long enough to smash his head into his opponent. Now that he was close, however, Calem chose to make his move.

"Now use Thunderbolt!"

"Deflect it with Rapid Spin!"

Heliolisk opened up her neck frill and shot out a huge discharge, only for it to be blocked by the rapid spinning of Squirtle's shell. He then slammed into the yellow lizard, sending her backwards.

"Now hit it with Hydro Pump!"

Squirtle began to spray water out of his shell, slamming Heliolisk with extreme force. For a moment, Ash grinned as Squirtle continued its assault. However, this turned into shock when the tiny turtle Pokemon was grabbed by the reptilian pokemon's hands.

"What?!" he said in shock. He then realized that Heliolisk seemed unaffected by the water that had just slammed into her. If anything, she actually seemed even more energetic!

"You made a big mistake!" said Calem. "Heliolisk's ability is Dry Skin, which lets her absorb water to heal herself!"

Ash gasped in shock. He had never been able to see that coming. And now Squirtle was going to pay the price.

"Now, Heliolisk! Parabolic Charge!"

"Pair-of-what?!"

A field of electrical energy began to extend from Heliolisk, enveloping Squirtle and causing him to yell in pain. As the attack ended, the electric energy flowed back into the electric lizard, restoring her health.

"Squirtle!" Ash called out, only to be met with silence.

"Squirtle is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Heliolisk wins!"

"What a powerful Heliolisk!" the announcer said as Squirtle's image faded from the scoreboard. "Squirtle never stood a chance!"

Ash gritted his teeth as he returned Squirtle to his ball. He then looked at it fondly and smiled.

"I'm sorry, Squirtle. If I'd known about Heliolisk's ability, you could have won."

He then put the ball away, then grabbed another one. This time, he was going to win!

"I choose you! Tauros!"

He flung out his Pokeball, and it opened to reveal a huge brown bull-like Pokémon. He snorted as he faced his new opponent.

"Ash's fifth Pokémon is a Tauros!" the announcer said as Tauros' image appeared on the scoreboard below Ash. "Can it stand up to Heliolisk?

Heliolisk flapped her frill as she stared down her opponent. She would prove just how strong she was!

"Tauros!" Ash called. "Horn Attack!"

"Heliolisk! Dodge it!"

Tauros charged, pointing his powerful horns forwards. Heliolisk just barely managed to dodge the larger Pokemon's attack.

"Now fire off a Thunderbolt!" Calem ordered.

"Power through it and use Take Down!"

Heliolisk fired off a blast of electricity, which hit Tauros and caused him to yell in pain. However, he did not give up, and smashed into his opponent and sent her flying.

"Heliolisk!" Calem yelled. "Fire off a Thunderbolt!"

"Dodge it, Tauros!"

Heliolisk blasted out a shot of electrical energy, only for the wild bull Pokemon to rush out of the way.

"Okay then! Try using Parabolic Charge!"

The generator Pokemon fired off a field of electric energy to catch her foe, but Ash was ready this time.

"Tauros! Wild Charge!"

The wild bull Pokemon surrounded his whole body with electricity, canceling out the absorbing effects of Parabolic Charge. He then slammed into his opponent, momentarily stunning her.

"Helioooo!" the reptilian Pokemon yelled in pain.

"Now finish it with Horn Attack!"

Tauros slammed his horn into Heliolisk with as much force as he could, sending her flying across the arena. Finally, she landed right next to Calem, completely out cold.

"Heliolisk is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Tauros wins!"

"What an amazing battle!" the announcer said as the generator Pokemon's image vanished from the scoreboard. "Tauros' Wild Charge may not have been too effective, but it allowed it to block out the absorbing effects of Parabolic Charge! And now Calem is left with only one Pokemon! Can Chesnaught stand up to both of Ash's remaining Pokemon?"

As Calem returned Heliolisk, he looked at Ash in awe. He had met trainer who were as strong as the raven-haired trainer, but they had always been older than Calem. True, Ash was only about a year younger than him, but he was still impressed at how far he'd gotten despite his youth.

 _You're definitely a worthy trainer, Ash_ , he thought to himself. _I can see why Serena gets along so well with you._

He then looked down, and his eyes caught sight of his last Pokeball. He smiled and took it in his hand.

"Well, buddy, it's just you and me. I know you're up against a powerful trainer, but you've been my partner since the beginning, and I believe in you. So you show them just what an amazing and powerful Pokemon you really are!"

He then tossed the Pokeball onto the field.

"Chesnaught! I choose you!"

With a flash of light, Chesnaught appeared on the battlefield. He gave out a war cry as he faced his opponent, ready to claim victory.

"And Chesnaught has returned to the battlefield!" the announcer declared. "And it has a lot to overcome right now!"

"And we will overcome it!" yelled Calem. "Right buddy?"

Chesnaught cried out in agreement and slammed his first together. Tauros snorted and whipped his tails in defiance.

"Tauros!" Ash yelled. "Horn Attack!"

"Seed Bomb!"

Tauros charged at its target with his horns pointing forwards. Chesnaught countered by tossing out a number of explosive seeds, which exploded all around the wild bull Pokemon. He grimaced slightly, but did not stop, and slammed into his target head on.

"Cheeesss!"

"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "Use Drain Punch!"

"Dodge it!"

Tauros galloped off before Chesnaught could hit him, narrowly evading the attack.

"Now use Take Down!"

"Spiky Shield!"

Tauros charged again, but the bulky grass type Pokemon lifted his arms up and shielded himself. Ash saw this and tried to call Tauros back, but it was too late. The bovine Pokemon smashed into the wall of spikes, crying out in pain as he did so.

"Tauros!" Ash yelled. "Get back!"

"Drain Punch!"

Tauros managed to take a few steps back, but he was then slammed by a glowing fist. He cried out in pain as energy was siphoned out of his body and into his opponent.

Up in the stands, Serena was worried. Tauros was in trouble, and if he fell, Ash would have only one Pokemon to face off against Chesnaught. And she had seen the mighty grass type in action several times. Did Ash's final Pokemon have the strength to stand up to the mighty Chesnaught?

"Come on, Calem!" Grace yelled. "You can win!"

"You can do it, Ash!" Delia yelled. "Show him what being a trainer is all about!"

"This is an amazing battle!" Oak commented. "Calem has clearly done a great job raising that Chesnaught! Ash may very well be the one who loses!"

Serena's heart sank. Even the professor thought Ash would lose?! That couldn't be! Ash just had to win!

Suddenly, everything became clear to her.

"We know you can win, Calem!" Grace said. "Right, Serena?"

She then turned to look at her daughter, only to be met with an empty seat.

"What?!" she said in shock. "But the match is getting really good!"

Back on the battlefield, Chesnaught had grabbed Tauros by the horns, and had lifted him straight off the ground. The wild bull Pokemon struggled in vain to escape, but the spiny armor Pokemon was just too strong for him.

"Amazing!" the announcer said. "Chesnaught has backed Tauros into a corner! Can it escape?!"

"We won't let it!" said Calem. "Chesnaught! Toss it back out, and finish it with Seed Bomb!"

The mighty grass type tossed his opponent onto the ground, causing him to cry out as he was slammed onto the icy floor. But it was not over yet; a barrage of seeds fell all around Tauros, causing massive damage as they exploded. The force caused the floor around it to break apart, sending shards of ice everywhere.

"Tauros!" Ash yelled in horror, only to be met with silence.

"Tauros is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Chesnaught is the winner!"

"That was incredible!" the announcer declared as Tauros vanished from the scoreboard. "Chesnaught has managed to even the score! And now Ash has only one Pokemon left! Will it be enough to stand up to this mighty Chesnaught?!"

Down on the field, Ash was feeling worried. As he returned Tauros to his pokeball, he gazed worriedly at his opponent. Its strength was unbelievable, and it had already managed to defeat two of his pokemon, including one which should have had the advantage. How was he supposed to beat it?! Was it even possible?!

…Should he give up?

"ASH!"

Ash was broken out of his thoughts by the sudden voice. He had been so caught up worrying about what to do that he hadn't noticed the sound of someone approaching him. He turned around to see who it was, and gasped in shock.

It was Serena.

"Listen, Ash!" she said. "Calem is really strong, but you're stronger! You've managed to come this far, and you've even beat Gary! If there's any trainer that can take Chesnaught down, it's you! Do you understand?! Don't give up until it's over!"

Ash kept staring in shock. Serena actually wanted him to defeat Calem? She supported him over her cousin? And… she believed he could win?

Across the stadium, Calem was watching in amazement. While he'd known that Ash and Serena had a close relationship, he'd never thought that they were so close that she would support Ash over him. Almost imperceptibly, he let out a chuckle.

 _Sorry, cousin. But I'm going to have to beat your new boyfriend._

Up in the stands, Grace and Delia were watching in awe. They then looked at each other, and a smile began to form on their faces.

"So," said Delia. "I don't want to be too hasty, but we are _so_ going to be in-laws!"

Grace nodded. "Oh, I can certainly see that happening."

Back down on the sidelines, Misty was gritting her teeth. Once again, Serena had come out of nowhere and was trying to take Ash away from her! Who did she think she was?!

"You know, I think Ash really needed to hear that," said Brock. "Don't you think so, Misty?"

"Yeah," Misty grumbled. "Totally needed it."

Back on the field, Ash's shock was fading, replaced by unbelievable joy, and unwavering determination. Now, he felt more determined than ever to win the match!

"Thanks, Serena," he said happily. "I won't give up! You just watch!"

Serena smiled and gave Ash a thumbs up. The raven-haired trainer smiled and looked away, his cheeks now glowing crimson. Trying his best to ignore the Butterfrees flying around in his stomach, he grabbed his final Pokeball.

"Okay, buddy. That Chesnaught might be strong, but we're stronger! So you go out and show them all just how amazing you are!"

He then tossed the ball out as hard as he could.

"Meganium! I choose you!"

With a burst of light, the ball burst open, revealing Ash's mighty Meganium. She cried out with determination as she landed on the icy floor.

"And Ash's final Pokemon is Meganium!" the announcer said as Meganium's picture appeared in Ash's last Pokemon slot. "The battle has come down to two mighty grass-type starters! Johto's Meganium versus Kalos' Chesnaught! Which one shall emerge victorious?"

The two grass-type Pokemon watched each other as they stood on the field. They could both tell that they were powerful fighters, but they were undeterred. Their pride as grass-type starter Pokemon was on the line.

"Are you ready, Meganium?" Ash asked.

"Megaaa!" the herb Pokemon cried in determination.

"We're ready too!" said Calem. "Right, Chesnaught?"

"Cheees!" the spiny armor Pokemon roared.

The referee waved his flags, signaling the beginning the final fight.

"Razor Leaf!"

"Seed Bomb!"

The two Pokemon fired off their attacks, which collided in midair and exploded. As the smoke cleared away, both combatants charged at each other.

"Body Slam!" Ash yelled.

"Drain Punch!" yelled Calem.

Chesnaught's arm began to glow as he lunged for Meganium. The herb Pokemon managed to dodge the attack, however, and landed right on top of her opponent.

"Cheeees!"

"Don't give in, Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "Toss Meganium off!"

The spiny armor Pokemon grabbed Meganium, then lifted his mighty arms and tossed her off. However, Ash was not going to let her get injured that easily.

"Meganium! Use your Vine Whip to break your fall!"

The herb Pokemon let her vines shoot out and land on the floor, slowing her descent down as she landed.

"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "Seed Bomb!"

Chesnaught fired off a barrage of seeds out, which exploded all around Meganium. Ash watched as she took the damage, seeking some way to strike back. It was then that he noticed that the constant Seed Bombs had caused several pieces of ice to break away from the floor. This gave him a sudden idea.

"Meganium! Use Earthquake to loosen the floor up!"

The herb Pokemon had no idea what her trainer had in store, but she decided to trust him. She slammed her feet against the frozen ground, causing several shards of ice to shoot upwards.

"Now use Vine Whip to send that ice towards Chesnaught!"

Meganium shot her vines out and began to hit the ice, sending it flying towards her opponent. The bulky grass type cried in pain as he was pelted with Meganium's improvised ice attack.

"What a way to use the field to your advantage!" the announcer said. "Ash sure has a knack for this sort of thing!"

Calem gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to let this go unpunished!

"Chesnaught! Send some of those icicles back at Meganium!

Chesnaught punched the ground, to loosen up some ice, but before he could do anything, Ash issued his next command.

"Meganium! Wrap your vines around Chesnaught's arms!"

Not wasting a second, the herb Pokemon shot out her vines and caught her opponent's arms, preventing him from flinging any icy debris. Calem frowned for a moment, but quickly got an idea.

"Chesnaught! Pull it in and use Drain Punch!"

Chesnaught roared as he tugged his arms forward, yanking Meganium off the ground and into the air. The light green Pokemon cried out in shock as she went hurtling towards her opponent. As Chesnaught's arms came loose, he prepared to toss a punch at her.

"Meganium!" Ash called. "Use the momentum and slam Chesnaught with Body Slam!"

Meganium's eyes widened, and she obeyed her trainer. The two Pokemon then collided into each other, with Chesnaught slamming his fist into the herb Pokemon as she landed on top of him.

"And both Pokemon have collided into each other!" the announcer said. "That is bound to do a lot of damage!"

Meganium groaned in pain as she got back to her feet. While she was certain that her attack had done a lot of damage, she'd received plenty as well. And to make matters worse, Chesnaught had managed to siphon some of her energy, so he wasn't as badly injured as he should have been.

As she walked off, Chesnaught began to get up as well. He was in plenty of pain, but he wasn't going to give up just yet. He was absolutely determined to emerge victorious!

"Meganium!" Ash called. "Tackle!"

"Protect yourself with Spiky Shield!"

To Calem's shock, Chesnaught didn't try to protect himself; he instead charged right back at Meganium, slamming against her as the two met.

"Chesnaught!" Calem said. "Why didn't you-"

Chesnaught then fired a barrage of Seed Bombs at Meganium, who made no effort to dodge them. She then tossed a number of sharpened leaves at Chesnaught, who also endured the attack. The two then slammed against each other, struggling for a moment before they were both forced backwards. It was then that a sudden realization hit Calem.

"I… understand," he said. "This isn't just a trainer battle. It's a battle for the pride of grass-type starter Pokemon."

He then looked towards Ash, who has a similar look of understanding on his face. The raven-haired trainer then caught sight of Calem and nodded. He nodded back, then turned to look at the combatants.

"Chesnaught!" he commanded. "Use Solarbeam!"

"Counter with your own Solarbeam!"

Meganium's petals began to glow as she absorbed the sun's energy. The spiny armor Pokemon lifted his hands to the sky and began to do the same, with both hands beginning to glow. Soon, a ball of glowing yellow energy formed in Meganium's mouth, as did a similar one in Chesnaught's hands.

The herb Pokemon then blasted the solar energy she'd collected at Chesnaught, who thrust his hands forwards to unleash a blast of his own. Both beams met in the center of the arena, where they created a blinding explosion which engulfed them both.

"Meganium!" Ash cried out.

"Chesnaught!" yelled Calem.

As the light died down, both combatants were revealed to be lying on the floor, struggling to get back to their feet.

"Meganium!" Ash called. "Are you okay?!"

"Megaaa!" the herb Pokemon groaned as she got back up.

"Chesnaught!" yelled Calem. "Can you still fight?!"

"Chesss!" the spiny armor Pokemon uttered as he rose up.

"Unbelievable!" the announcer said in awe. "Neither Pokemon wants to give up yet!"

Ash and Calem both gritted their teeth. It was clear that neither Pokemon would be able to take much more damage.

"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "Take Down!"

"Meganium!" Ash called. "Vine Whip!"

Chesnaught charged at his opponent, only to be caught by the arms by Meganium's vines. He gritted his teeth and grabbed the vines, trying to yank Meganium away. However, this time she stood strong and pulled at her opponent with as much strength as she could muster. For a moment, the two Pokemon pulled at each other, locked in a bitter stalemate as they each tried to overpower the other.

Then Ash and Calem gave out their commands.

"Razor Leaf!"

"Seed Bomb!"

Both Pokemon unleashed their respective attacks, which collided with their targets and forced them to break their stalemate as they were pushed backwards. They gasped as they stopped, exhausted and in pain.

"Meganium!" Ash yelled. "Razor Leaf again!"

"Seed Bomb!"

Both Pokemon unleashed their attacks, which collided in midair and exploded, creating a huge cloud of smoke.

"Use Tackle!" Ash cried.

"Counter with Take Down!" Calem yelled.

Both Pokemon rushed at each other as the smoke cleared. They collided against each other, crying out in pain as they touched but refusing to accept defeat. They then pushed against each other, absolutely determined to win.

"Meganium!" Ash called. "Solarbeam!"

"You use Solarbeam too!" Calem ordered.

The two Pokemon gathered solar energy as before. However, this time they were right next to each other, and they had no intention of moving away. Even if it meant taking a close range Solarbeam, they were going to continue their struggle. They were going to win!

" **Fire!** "

The two Pokemon unleashed their attacks at point-blank range, causing them to explode violently. Both Chesnaught and Meganium were forced backwards, landing roughly on the floor. They both cried out in pain as they hit the floor, causing their trainers to gasp out in horror.

"Meganium!"

"Chesnaught!"

Both grass types groaned in pain, but gritted their teeth and pushed themselves back up. As long as one refused to give in, the other would continue to fight.

"Those two are absolutely determined!" the announcer said. "Neither is willing to go down until the other one has been defeated! Which of these two mighty grass fighters has the will to go farther?"

Ash and Calem were both watching worriedly. They didn't want to lose, but they also didn't want their Pokemon to get injured too badly. And it was clear that the two combatants had taken far more punishment than could ever be considered safe for any Pokemon.

Meanwhile, both Pokemon were now slowly making their way towards one another. They were both panting in exhaustion, and cringing in pain with each step they took. However, they stubbornly refused to admit defeat. Their pride would not allow it.

Then, right before they could reach each other, they both screamed in pain and collapsed.

"No!" Ash yelled in horror. "Meganium!"

"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled.

Meganium shot out her vines to stop herself from hitting the floor, and Chesnaught slammed his fists into the ground to do the same. They both tried desperately to push themselves up again, but they were too exhausted to do anything more than hold themselves steady.

"This could be it!" the announcer said. "These two are all but finished!"

Meganium screamed in pain as tears streamed down her face. It took all of her willpower to hold herself above the frozen ground. Every single inch of her body was in agony, and her vision was starting to become blurry. She could barely hear her trainer calling out to her, worried about her wellbeing. She smiled. Even when he was in danger of losing a match, her wellbeing was all he cared about.

She then tried to focus on her opponent. In spite of everything, she couldn't help but admire him. He was every bit as stubborn as her, and he was absolutely loyal to his trainer. In addition, his strength had been so great, that even she had trouble going up against him. She hoped that he had the same respect for her as she did for him.

She then thought about Ash. Ever since she had first joined him, they had worked together to become the best of the best. And she had done her best to help him, evolving to her final form against Gary, and fighting until she could fight no more against Calem. Truly, she had done everything in her power to allow Ash to become a champion.

Finally, as her vines began to fail below her, a single thought went through her head.

 _Ash… I'm so sorry._

With that, she slipped into unconsciousness and fell to the floor, defeated. For a moment, Chesnaught smiled triumphantly, then fell to the floor and fainted as well.

The entire stadium was silent. The audience was in shock. The battle between Meganium and Chesnaught had been more intense than any previous battle in the Silver Conference, and it had only ended when both combatants had been unable to take any more.

Then, the referee spoke.

"Since both Pokemon are their trainer's last Pokemon, a tie can't be declared. Therefore, because Meganium was the first to faint, the winner of the match is Calem Xavier of Aquacorde Town!"

Ash looked out onto the battlefield speechlessly. His eyes rested on Meganium, who was still lying on the floor motionlessly. She had fought valiantly, but ultimately, Chesnaught had been the stronger of the two.

"Return, Meganium," he said as he lifted up his Pokeball and returned her. "You couldn't have done a better job, old friend. You battled valiantly, and you didn't give up until the very end. I'm proud of you."

He then looked back down towards the ground sadly. He couldn't believe he had lost. After all the battles he'd been through, his Silver Conference experience had come to an end.

"Ash?"

He was broken out of his thoughts by Serena's voice. Looking behind him, he saw her smiling at him reassuringly.

"You may not have beaten Calem, but you did amazingly well."

Ash smiled, deeply moved by Serena's words. He hoped to Arceus that he wasn't blushing.

"Thanks, Serena."

Back on the sidelines, Misty was feeling the need to punch something.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Yes, I am aware that many of you wanted to see Ash win. Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, but I feel that Ash can't win a major Pokemon League (I consider the Orange league to be a minor League) just yet. After all, he still needs to have plenty of time bonding with Serena before he can become a champion. And he has a whole new region to conquer too...**_

 _ **Anyway, Calem has managed to win this one. How is Macy going to react? And how will Calem deal with her? Well... that's for me to know, and you to find out.**_

 _ **Next time: A lot of stuff happens. And I mean a lot.**_


	8. Moving Forwards

Ash and Calem waited patiently in the Pokemon Center's lobby, with the rest of the group watching them from nearby. They hoped that Nurse Joy would appear soon so that they could be updated on the status of their Pokemon.

"Do you think our Pokemon are going to be fine?" Ash asked.

"Most of them will probably heal up pretty soon," Calem replied. "Honestly, though, I'm worried about Chesnaught. He took a lot of damage in that battle."

"I know," Ash said, a worried look forming on his face. "Meganium got really injured as well. I really hope they'll be okay."

At that moment, the Pokemon Center's tune sounded out, indicating the end to the treatment. Ash and Calem looked up in surprise, then quickly ran over to the counter. Upon getting there, they were met by Pikachu, who jumped out and landed in Ash's arms.

"Pikachu!" Ash said happily, before he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Hello!" Nurse Joy said as she handed them both a tray of Pokeballs. "I'm happy to report that most of your Pokemon are fully healed!"

Ash and Calem smiled at the news. However, the older boy's smile quickly vanished.

"What do you mean by 'most of them?'"

At this, Nurse joy's face took on a serious look. "Meganium and Chesnaught have both taken extensive amounts of damage from their final battle. While it's nothing life-threatening, they both need to rest for at least twenty-four hours before they can consider battling again."

"I see," Calem said, looking downwards. "Thanks for everything."

Both trainers collected their Pokeballs, then began to walk away. Ash couldn't help but worry about Meganium, however. While the herb Pokemon was very strong, he couldn't help but feel that she had bitten off more than she could chew.

He then realized that Chesnaught had probably done the same.

"Hey, Calem?"

The older trainer looked towards Ash.

"Your next battle… can you win it without Chesnaught?"

"Pikaa?"

Calem smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'll be just fine. Chesnaught may be my strongest Pokemon, but he's not the only one I have."

Ash sighed. "Well, if you say so."

As they approached the rest of the group, Professor Oak was the first to speak. "Are your Meganium and Chesnaught going to be okay?"

"They need some time to recover," said Calem, "but they're going to be all right."

"But what about your next battle?" Grace asked. "Will you be alright without Chesnaught?"

"Don't worry, Aunt Grace," said Calem. "My team can pull through even without my strongest Pokemon. I'll be just fine."

"Well, I certainly hope so," said Serena. "I mean, if Ash couldn't win this one, then you have to be the one who wins!"

Calem chuckled. "Okay, Serena. I know you were rooting for your boyfriend, but I'll win anyway!"

"B-boyfriend?!" Serena stuttered, her face becoming bright red. Ash quickly turned away from everyone else, hoping that they hadn't caught his own blush. Pikachu, however, fell over laughing. Everyone else began to laugh as well, with the exception of a certain orange-haired girl.

"I… uh… I need to use the restroom!"

Serena ran off as fast as she could, doing her best not to let anyone see her face. Misty glared in her direction, her fist clenched tightly. She hnaded Togepi to brock, causing him to look at her in surprise.

"Hold Togepi, Brock. I need to use the restroom too."

As she walked off, Ash frowned. Ever since she'd met Serena, something had been off about Misty. He didn't know what it was, but there was something telling him that both girls being alone together would not lead to anything good.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to go as well."

As he left, Pikachu jumped off his shoulder, sensing that it was not something to get involved in. Afterwards, silence reigned in the Pokemon Center. While no one was quite sure what had just happened, they all had ideas, though none of them quite knew what to make of them.

Finally, the silence was broken by an unexpected source.

"Oh Caleeem!"

Everyone groaned. Macy was the last thing they needed right now.

* * *

Serena gasped as she ran water over her face. She still couldn't believe what Calem had said. Her and Ash? Together? That was ridiculous!

...Well, they were childhood friends, and they did get along really well, and he was the nicest, most caring person she'd ever known, and really cute, to boot-

Serena slapped more water on. She did not need these thoughts right now!

Finally calming down, she grabbed a paper towel and dried her face. Once she felt ready to face her friends and family again, she went to the door and walked out.

As soon as she exited, however, she was met by someone unexpected.

"So, you and Ash, huh?"

Serena stopped as Misty stood in front of her. From what little she knew, Misty had always seemed to be a friendly person, although she'd often seemed rather distant whenever the two were together. However, this time Misty was staring at her with narrowed eyes.

"Uh, well, he's a great friend," Serena said nervously. "But he's not my boyfriend!"

"Of course he'd not," Misty said as she walked closer to her. "And you'd better remember that."

A drop of sweat rolled down Serena's forehead. "Uhh…"

"Tell me, Serena," Misty said as she cornered Serena into a wall. "Have you traveled with Ash for a year and a half, sticking with him through the thick and thin no matter what? Have you been there to help him whenever he's having trouble? Have you had your bike fried by his Pikachu?!"

"Stop!" Serena said nervously. "I don't know what you're-"

"Don't give me that!" Misty snapped. "You and Ash have been spending all your time together, and you've been acting all chummy with each other! Well let me make one thing clear: that's my-"

"MISTY!"

The orange-haired girl gasped in shock at the mention of her name. She then turned around and was shocked to see Ash glaring at her.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Ash?!" said Misty. "I-I'm just…"

"What?!" he yelled. "What has Serena done to deserve you treating her like this?!"

The orange haired girl tried to answer, but the words got stuck in her throat.

"Misty, this isn't like you!" Ash said angrily. "In all of the time we've been together, you've never been mean to anyone unless they deserved it! And Serena hasn't done anything wrong to you, me, or anyone else! In fact, she's been a great friend to all of us! So whatever problem you have with her, you need to deal with it instead of being a bully!"

As the raven haired boy finished speaking, Misty tried to speak. Yet once again, she found herself unable to say anything. How was she even supposed to respond?

With a jolt, she realized that her eyes were beginning to water. Not wishing to let Ash see her cry, she ran off as fast as she could.

"Well, that was rude," Ash huffed. His gaze then softened as he looked towards Serena. "Are you okay, Serena?"

The honey-blonde haired girl was still a bit uneasy from Misty's earlier behavior, but the reassuring smile on Ash's face managed to calm her down.

"I'm fine," she said with a smile. "Thank you, Ack."

Ash chuckled a bit at his old nickname, only to stop when Serena suddenly flung her arms around him. His face immediately became as red as a tamato berry, and he felt glad that she couldn't see her face.

He couldn't understand why Misty was so mean to Serena. True, she could be hot-headed and brash, but never before had she acted like a bully. It didn't make any sense! How could Misty be so mean to Serena? Serena, who was was so beautiful, and kind, and…

And then his eyes went wide as the realization hit him like a stack of bricks.

"Serena?"

His friend broke away from him with a confused expression.

"What's wrong, Ack?"

Ash sighed. He didn't want to leave her alone, but he had to confront Misty.

"I need to talk to Misty. I know she's being rude right now, but she's not like that at all. And I think I know why."

Serena looked down as she let go.

"Okay, Ack."

Ash put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a smile.

"Don't worry, Serena. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Slowly, a smile formed on Serena's face as she nodded in understanding. Satisfied, Ash turned around and went off to find Misty.

* * *

"...And then we can be known as the Champion couple of Johto!"

Calem sighed. He needed to end things with Macy now.

"Look," he said with a sigh. "I know you think I'm really handsome and strong and whatnot, but I really don't think it's going to work out."

Macy gave him a penetrating glare. "And why is that?"

"Well, for one thing-"

At that moment, a jolly tune began to play. Surprised, Calem pulled out his holo-caster. As he looked at the name on the caller I.D., his eyes widened.

"Oh, wow. What are the odds?"

He then quickly walked away from the rest of the group, with Macy eyeing him curiously.

"What's he doing?" she asked out loud. "What's more important than spending time with his future wife?"

Her question was then answered when the image of a girl with four pigtails appeared in front of Calem.

"Hiii, Senpai!"

Macy felt her whole world suddenly come to a screeching halt. What did that girl just call Calem?! Grace, on the other hand, was struggling not to laugh. Meanwhile, Delia, Brock, Pikachu, Togepi, and Oak were just watching in confusion.

"Hey, Shauna," Calem said. "Sorry I couldn't call earlier. I was in a really tough battle."

"I know!" Shauna said excitedly. "Me and Tierno and Trevor were watching at home! It was so exciting! We were really worried when Chesnaught fell down, but you still managed to win in the end! That was so amazing!"

Calem chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed watching the conference. It's a shame that you couldn't come with Serena. That would have been great."

Shauna frowned at the mention of Serena. "Oh, yeah, that reminds me! At the end of that battle, why did she go with your opponent instead of you?"

"Funny story," said Calem. "That guy just so happened to be none other than Serena's old friend from summer camp."

"No! Really?"

As the two talked, Delia moved over towards Grace.

"Hey, Grace? Who is that?"

"Oh, that's Shauna, Calem's girlfriend."

"Calem has a girlfriend?" Delia asked in surprise. "Why didn't anyone tell Macy?"

Grace chuckled as she turned towards the red-haired girl, who was staring at her crush with tears cascading down her face.

"She never asked."

Meanwhile, Calem and Shauna seemed to have finished their conversation.

"Well, it was great talking to you, Shauna," said Calem. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get ready for my next battle."

"Okay!" said Shauna. "I love you, Senpai!"

"I love you too, Shauna."

With that, Calem put his holo-caster away and walked back towards the group with a smile on his face. He then took note of Macy's face and smirked.

"Soo… what did you want to talk about again?"

Macy screamed and ran away as fast as she could. Most of the people left behind bust into laughter, while Calem just shrugged.

"I'm not going to miss her."

* * *

Misty sat in an abandoned alley, tears streaming down her eyes. All the hopes and dreams she had involving herself and Ash were gone now. True, meeting Serena had shaken them badly, but now they had been utterly destroyed. And this time, it was all her fault.

 _I-I can't believe it,_ she thought to herself. _How could I have been so stupid?! I let my emotions get the better of me, and I let Ash down! Now what is he going to say?! Is he even going to want to travel with me anymore?! And what about Serena?! Now she'll never want to speak to me again!_

 _And the worst part is… Ash never even liked me in the first place. He always liked her. Why did I ever act like I had a chance? I should have… I should have…_

"Misty?"

At the sound of that voice, Misty's eyes widened. She looked upwards and saw the object of her unrequited crush, looking downwards at her. To her surprise, he didn't seem the tiniest bit angry; in fact, he actually seemed to be worried.

"Are you okay?"

Misty sniffled a bit. "I'm okay, Ash. I'm… just fine."

Ash frowned, then got down to sit next to her.

"No you're not, Misty. Even if you weren't crying, you've been grouchy ever since we met Serena, and we both know how that turned out."

Misty looked away with a guilty look. She knew he was right. She had bottled up all her negative emotions, and it had ended with her acting in a completely unacceptable manner. And now there was nothing she could do to hide her tears from Ash.

"Misty? Did you… like me?"

"What's the point?" she asked quietly. "You obviously don't like me."

Ash stared at her wordlessly. What was he supposed to do in this case? He had never had the same feelings for Misty as she did for him, so he couldn't really pretend to know what she was going through. Nor could he give her any illusions that he ever could feel the same for her.

In the end, the only thing he could do was tell the truth.

"Misty… I should have realized how you felt about me," he said finally. "But I was always too oblivious to realize it. And I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay, Ash," Misty said. "I should have known that I wouldn't ever get through to you."

Ash took a deep breath. While he wasn't in love with Misty, he still had something he needed to get off his chest.

"Misty… I don't think I could ever have developed any romantic feelings for you."

"Of course not," Misty muttered. "You only ever cared about Serena."

"It's not just about Serena!" Ash said. "I didn't feel like that because… I always thought of you like my big sister!"

At this, Misty's world came to a screeching halt. What did Ash say?!

"I've never had any siblings," Ash explained, his voice becoming melancholy. "All my life, I wondered what it was like to have an older brother or sister. I knew that I would never really have one, but I liked to think about what they might have been like.

"Then, on the day that I started my journey, I met you. At first I thought you were just some annoying girl who liked to nag about how I destroyed her bike. But then, as we traveled together, I realized that behind all that nagging and criticizing, there was a girl who was there to support me when I was down, celebrate with me when I was happy, and always pushed me to become better. In other words, it was everything a big sister would do."

Ash sighed as he remembered all the good times he'd spent with Misty. True, there had been many times when she had been insufferable and annoying, but he still wouldn't have given up those experiences for the world.

"Misty… I know you've made some mistakes recently. But I want you to know that you're still one of my best friends. And even if I can't return the feelings you have for me, I want you to know that you still hold a very dear place in my heart. You're like the big sister I never had. And I'm grateful for every moment we've been together, even if some of them were less happy than others."

As he finished speaking, he turned his head to look straight at Misty, who was staring back at him wordlessly. He held his breath as he waited for her to respond. Would she be angry? Would she be even sadder than before? What would she say?

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Misty began to speak.

"Do you… really feel like that?"

Ash blinked. Instead of sadness or curiosity, she seemed to be surprised.

"Yeah," Ash said. "I feel like you're a big sister to me."

Misty looked away. Being told that she was like a big sister made her feel incredibly uncomfortable.

"Ash… you're lucky you don't have a big sister. Big sisters always brag about how much prettier they are, belittle you for every little failure you have, insult you for not being as feminine as they are, do everything in their power to make you feel inferior, and act as if you're not a member of their group just because you don't have the exact same mindset as they do!"

The raven-haired trainer grimaced as she finished speaking. He had forgotten how much bad blood there was between Misty and her sisters.

"If it makes you feel better, Misty, you're the good kind of big sister. You're the kind that's supportive, caring, and always motivates her little brother even as she chases him down three regions for frying her bicycle."

Misty blinked. She had enjoyed her time traveling with Ash and Brock so much that she had completely forgotten about the bicycle. However, upon remembering how she had reacted to its destruction, as well as how she had ended up traveling with him for so long, she imagined one of her sisters in her place, and herself in the place of Ash.

Realizing how they would have reacted, she burst into laughter.

"Oh my gosh! Can you imagine what they would have said if I'd blown up their bikes? They would have never let it go!"

Ash sighed in relief, then chuckled as well.

"Yeah, they would have been angry forever."

Misty chuckled for a moment, then smiled to herself.

"You know, Ash, I always hated being the youngest sister. I was the strongest, but they only talked about me as the least pretty, least talented, and least inspiring of the four."

"Misty, you're an amazing trainer, and you're one of the smartest, bravest, kindest, and most dependable people I've ever met."

The orange-haired girl blushed at her friend's kind words.

"Ash… thank you. That means a lot."

"It's the least I could do for my big sister."

Misty blinked as she looked at Ash, then smiled.

"Yeah… big sister. I can live with that."

Without another word, she wrapped her arms around Ash and pulled him into a hug. Although surprised, Ash smiled and returned the hug.

"All the time I spent with my older sisters, I always wondered if I would have been as awful a big sister as they were," Misty said quietly. "But it turns out, all this time I was a better big sister than them in every way, and I never even realized it."

Slowly, Ash began to smile as his eyes filled with tears.

"Thank you, Ash, for helping me be the best big sister I could have ever been."

"Misty… thank you for being the best big sister I could ever have asked for."

Ash and Misty both let tears flow down their cheeks as they embraced. It had been an emotional day, but everything had finally worked out.

* * *

The next day, Ash, Pikachu, Brock, and Misty were all in the stands with the others to watch Calem's battle. While Ash hadn't been able to win, he still wanted to support his new friend.

"And now the battle has come down to the wire!" the announcer said. "Both trainers are down to their last Pokemon!"

"Heliolisk!" Calem called. "Use Thunderbolt!"

"Dodge it, Rapidash!"

Heliolisk unleashed a powerful current of electricity at her opponent. However, Rapidash jumped up, narrowly avoiding the attack.

"Now use Flare Blitz!"

Rapidash charged at its opponent, its body covered with fire. It then slammed into Heliolisk, tossing her screaming into a wall. To make matters worse, the generator Pokemon's Dry Skin ability made her more vulnerable to heat than normal, amplifying the already significant damage.

"Heliolisk!" Calem yelled, only to be met with silence.

"Heliolisk is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "The winner is Rapidash!"

"And there you have it, folks!" the announcer declared. "The winner of this match, and the trainer who will move onto the final round, is Jon Dickson of Sento Cherry town! Although, if Calem had been able to use his Chesnaught, perhaps things might have been different!"

Calem gritted his teeth as he returned Heliolisk to her Pokeball. He had been so close, but in the end, he'd been defeated.

"I can't believe it," said Serena. "Calem lost too."

"It's such a shame that Chesnaught was out of commission," said Brock. "Otherwise he could definitely have pulled through!"

Ash simply watched sadly. He couldn't help but feel guilty about the outcome.

"Hey, Ash," Grace said as she put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Sometimes Pokemon get injured during battles, and there's nothing we can do about it. It's not your fault that Calem lost."

Ash sighed, then smiled. "Thanks, Grace."

* * *

That night, Calem looked out towards the lake. He was deep in thought about what had happened over the past few days. Ash had proved to be a very tough opponent, and he had been worried for a while that the younger trainer would defeat him. And in the end, he had been the reason Calem couldn't use his Chesnaught, so in a way, he _did_ defeat him.

"Hey, Calem?"

Calem looked up in surprise to see Ash and his friends.

"Oh, hey guys!" he said, a smile forming on his face.

"Hey, sorry about your loss," Brock said. "It must have been pretty rough, huh?"

"Yeah," Calem sighed. "You should have seen Shauna's face. She was so upset that I lost."

He then smiled. "But I made it to the top four, so that's pretty nice."

"Hey, Calem?" asked Ash. "How's Chesnaught?"

"Pikachu?"

Calem smiled as he picked up a Pokeball. "Chesnaught's doing great, actually! It's managed to rest up, and now it's fully healed!"

Ash smiled. "That's amazing!"

Calem nodded, then got to his feet.

"Hey, Ash? You're friends with Professor Oak, right?"

"Yeah," said Ash. "He's great! Not to mention, really smart!"

"Oh, I wouldn't doubt it," said Calem. "Professor Sycamore is always talking about how great he is!"

Ash blinked. He remembered hearing Brock mention the name once, but he hadn't thought much about it.

"Professor Sycamore?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," said Calem. "Professor Augustine Sycamore is the most notable Pokemon researcher of the kalos region. He's well known for his studies on Pokemon Evolution. He also gives out Pokemon to young trainers who want to start out on their journey. In fact, he's the one who gave me my Chesnaught back when it was just a little Chespin!"

"Wow, that sounds so cool!" said Ash.

"Pikachu!"

"It really is," said Calem. "But I still haven't gotten to the best part."

"Really?" asked Misty. "What's the best part?"

Calem smiled. "Well, as you know, Pokemon can normally only evolve twice, if they are capable of evolution at all. However, his studies have shown that, under unusual circumstances, it might be possible for Pokemon that have reached their final evolutionary stage to evolve even further!"

"What?!" the group said in amazement.

"Pikaaa?!"

"Amazing!" said Brock. "I'd never imagined that something like that could be possible!"

"And yet it may very well be!" said Calem. "In fact, I'm probably going to go back to Kalos soon so I can learn more about it! Also, I want to compete in the Kalos Pokemon League."

"Kalos has its own Pokemon league?" Ash asked.

"Of course it does," said Calem. "Actually, I could have started there, but I decided to do things a bit differently and start in Johto."

"Really?" said Ash. "Well, that's-"

Before he could continue, he was interrupted by a loud scream.

"What was that?!" Calem said in alarm.

"It came from over there!" Brock said as he looked over towards the Pokemon Center.

"Let's go!" said Ash as he ran off. The others nodded, and quickly followed him.

As they reached the Pokemon Center, they saw several lampposts sparking as some form of energy flowed from one to another. Below them, several people were watching in shock, including Serena, Grace, and Delia.

"What's going on?" Calem asked as soon as they caught up.

"We don't know!" said Grace. "Something's causing the lights to act up!"

"It's really weird, and it's freaking everyone out!" said Serena.

Ash and Calem glanced at each other and nodded. Whatever it was, they were going to take it down!

"Okay, Pikachu!" Ash called. "Use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu yelled out as he unleashed a blast of electricity. However, whatever was creating the strange phenomenon shot out its own thunderbolt, pushing Pikachu back.

"Pika!"

"Okay, then!" Calem said as he grabbed a Pokeball. "Let's go! Heliolisk!"

Calem's Heliolisk emerged from her Pokeball, crying out as it landed. She then saw the strange flickering of the lights and frowned. She didn't know what was causing that, but she was determined to take it down.

"Heliolisk!" Calem called. "Hyper Voice!"

The generator Pokemon unleashed a powerful wave of sound, which washed over the lights. However, the entity seemed to be unaffected.

"That's strange," said Calem. "Hyper Voice should have done something to it! Unless…"

"Unless it's a ghost type Pokemon?"

Ash and the others turned around, and were surprised to see Professor Oak and Gary. The two were now observing the strange phenomenon, with the older man showing a particular interest in it.

"Interesting," he said. "The lights are acting in a peculiar way, almost as if possessed by a ghost-type Pokemon."

"Yeah, but those are electric lights, not people or Pokemon," said Ash.

"Indeed," said Gary. "However, if the Pokemon in question had a secondary electric-type, it would be able to enter electronic equipment in the same way as a living being!"

Ash thought about that. A ghost-type Pokemon that could inhabit electronic equipment? Could that really be what was happening? Well, there might be a way to find out.

"Okay!" he said as he grabbed a Pokeball. "Noctowl! I choose you!"

The pokeball burst open, revealing a shiny avian Pokemon. Calem and Serena gasped in surprise; shiny Pokemon were incredibly rare.

"Noctowl! Use Foresight on those lights!"

Noctowl hooted and fired a mysterious ray onto the entity, which caused it to stop moving around. After a moment, the entity's form became clear, and revealed a strange rotating orb orb of orange and blue energy.

"Whoa!" said Ash. "What is that?!"

"A Rotom!"

Everyone turned around to look at Professor Oak, who was watching the Pokemon with fascination.

"A Rotom?" Ash asked.

"Oh yeah," said Gary. "They're known to inhabit electrical appliances and make them come to life. They tend to be mischievous, and use their abilities to play pranks on people. And this one has apparently been messing with people and Pokemon for the entire Silver Conference!"

"Really?" Ash asked in surprise as he pulled out his Pokedex. However, before he could scan the strange new Pokemon, it lunged at him and jumped into the device.

"Whoa!" Ash yelled as he dropped his Pokedex. Then, to his shock, Rotom's face appeared on the screen.

"Rotom, the Plasma Pokemon," the machine said. "Rotom is the smartest, most handsome, most ingenious, and overall best Pokemon ever. Seriously, you should all be nice and let this amazing Rotom go free so it can-"

Before the possessed Pokedex could continue any further, Pikachu and Heliolisk both unleashed their Thunderbolts, zapping the mischievous Pokemon and preventing it from doing any more harm.

"AHHHHWAWAWAWAWA!" the mechanical voice screamed. "My spleen!"

Groaning in pain, the mischievous electric type attempted to escape the Pokedex. However, as it tried, sparks of electricity shot out, preventing it from moving any further.

"Uh… guys? A little help here?"

In response, the other two Pokemon zapped it again.

"GYAAAHH!" the Pokedex screamed again, before going limp. It continued to mumble, not fully unconscious, but no longer able to fight back.

"Okay," said Ash. "Now how do we get it out of my Pokedex?"

Oak frowned. The plasma Pokemon seemed to be trapped within the device.

"Well, Ash," he said. "It appears that our little friend here won't be getting out of that Pokedex any time soon. I'm afraid that I'll have to take it back to the lab before we can remove it."

Ash sighed. He would miss having a Pokedex, although he knew it was only for a short time.

"Okay, Professor," he said.

Oak smiled. He then pulled out a pair of rubber gloves and slipped them on. He then picked the Rotom-possessed Pokedex up, the rubber protecting him from the shocks coming out of the machine.

"Well, then, this has been quite an exciting night. I'll have to notify the league before I go to tell them that we've caught their troublemaker."

"Wait," said Ash. "You mean you're leaving?"

"Oh yes," said Oak. "Tracey's been quite busy without me, and I'm sure he could use a hand. Not to mention, I have a new Pokemon to study!"

"I'm not a lab Rattata…" the Pokedex groaned.

"I should probably get going as well," said Delia. "After all, Mimey will probably appreciate having me to help it with the chores around the house!"

Ash sighed. He had been hoping that his mother and the professor could stay a bit longer. But then again, they were adults, and probably had plenty of responsibilities.

"Okay, mom, Professor," Ash said. "See you later!"

"Bye guys!" said Misty.

"We'll miss you!" said Brock.

The two adults smiled and waved. Then, Delia turned towards Grace.

"It was great getting to know you, Grace! I hope we can have another chance to talk eventually!"

"So do I!" said Grace. "I had a great time with you!"

With that, Oak and Delia walked away, leaving the rest behind. Meanwhile, Gary had a pensive look on his face.

"It's pretty amazing that a Pokemon could cause so much trouble by infesting electrical devices," he said as he looked back towards the lights. "Come to think of it, many different Pokemon have such amazing abilities, and we barely even think about them. How amazing would it be to find out everything about how Ditto can transform into any object, or how Eevee can evolve into so many different forms, or how Smeargle can copy the abilities of any other Pokemon simply by drawing them out?"

Everyone in the group looked towards Gary. They were surprised by his words, especially Serena. Ever since his loss, he seemed to have changed drastically.

"I want to find the answer to all those questions and more!" said Gary. "And that's why I've decided to become a Pokemon Researcher!"

Ash's eyes widened. "A Pokemon Researcher?"

"Yeah," said Gary. "I guess that means we won't be competing against each other anymore. But that doesn't mean you should start slacking off, Ash! You go out there and do your best in every single battle, okay?"

Ash grinned. "You bet! We're going to go out there and win every battle we can!"

"Great!" Gary said with a smile. "Gotta go now! See ya later!"

With that, the brown-haired trainer walked away, leaving the group behind.

"That's great!" said Brock. "Gary's going to become a Pokemon Researcher!"

"Of course!" said Misty. "Just like his grandfather!"

Serena watched in awe as the boy walked away. If she hadn't seen him trash talking Ash just a few days ago, she wouldn't have believed that he was the same person. How amazing was it that he had become so very different after his fateful loss?

* * *

 ** _A/N: I have to say, I really wasn't satisfied with the original version of this chapter. Fortunately, after a bit of re-writing and moving things around, I'm feeling pretty good about the result._**

 ** _Also, take a guess at what I made my friends call me in my last Pokemon X playthrough. It made the fireworks scene even more hilariously shippy than it already was._**

 ** _Anyway, now that both Ash and Calem are out of the Conference, what will they do next? Find out next time!_**


	9. After The Silver Conference

The next day, Ash and the rest of the group went to attend the final battle of the Silver Conference. Calem was watching with particular interest, curious as to how his final opponent would fare.

"You know, that Jon Dickson guy was really tough," he said as they all watched. "I mean, I probably would have won if Chesnaught had been healthy, but he still had a great team!"

"Wow," Ash said in awe. "I would have liked to get to battle him."

Meanwhile, right besides them, Misty was looking at Serena with a worried expression.

"Um… Serena?"

The honey-blonde girl turned to face Misty with an apprehensive look on her face. She still hadn't forgotten how Misty had cornered her the day before. However, she managed to calm down when she saw the regret on Misty's face.

"I… I just wanted you to know that I'm really sorry for acting the way I did a few days ago. It was totally unacceptable, and I should have treated you better. The truth is… I was jealous of you for how you seemed to come out of nowhere and started acting like you'd been best friends sine forever. And then when it turned out that you actually were, I just lost control of myself. And I'm sorry."

They then became quiet again as they watched the current battle. Misty was not as enthusiastic as she had been before, partly because none of her friends were participating, and partly because she was all wrapped up in her emotions. Serena, on the other hand, has a deeply contemplative look on her face as she thought about what the orange-haired girl had said.

Down on the battlefield, both trainers were down to their final Pokemon, with Jon's Rapidash up against his opponent's Rhydon.

"Rhydon! Finish it with Stone Edge!"

"Rapidash!" Jon called. "Fire off your Solarbeam!"

Rhydon flung out a barrage of sharpened stones at Rapidash. However, the fire type pokemon fired off a huge blast of compressed solar energy, which vaporized the stones and hit Rhydon head on. The drill pokemon cried out in pain, then fell to the floor.

"Rhydon is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "The winner of this battle, and the victor of the Silver Conference, is Jon Dickson of Sento Cherry Town!"

The crowd cheered as Jon's face took over the scoreboard. Calem grinned as his final opponent began to celebrate.

"He deserved to win," he said with a smile. "Jon was definitely a great opponent."

Misty smiled as she watched the trainer grin as he hugged his final Pokemon. She hoped that Ash would one day experience that sort of glory as well.

To her surprise, she felt a tap on her arm. She turned to see Serena giving her a big smile and an outstretched hand.

"I don't know you as well as Ash, Misty, but I think you're a good person even if you get a bit mean at times. And I would really like to be able to have you as a friend."

Misty smiled as she shook Serena's hand.

"I'd like that too."

Back on the field, Mr. Goodshow approached Jon with a large golden trophy shaped like a pokeball.

"Jon Dickson of Sento Cherry Town, it is my honor to present you with the winner's trophy!"

The crowd cheered as Jon received his trophy. He then lifted it into the air with a huge smile on his face.

"I'd like to thank every trainer who took part in the tournament," said Mr. Goodshow. "This year's Silver Conference would never have been as successful as it was without your support! I wish you the best of luck in whatever endeavor you set out to accomplish next!"

Everyone cheered as the short man concluded. Even though most of the trainers who had been attempting to win had ultimately failed, the Silver Conference had still been an unforgettable experience.

* * *

After the closing ceremonies, Charizard had flown back to the Charcific valley, and Squirtle and Officer Jenny had headed back home.

Far from the stadium, Ash and the gang were meeting up with Calem and his family one last time, along with Gary.

"So, I'll probably go around Mount Silver, then I'll go back to Pallet Town from there," said Gary.

"Great," said Ash. "We're going to stop by Viridian City, then go back to Pallet Town."

"Cool," said Calem. "We're going to go to the Silver Town Airport, then fly back to Kalos."

At this, Ash looked downwards full of sadness. Across from him, he could see that Serena was doing the same.

"Wow," he said. "I can't believe we just found each other, and now we have to leave each other again."

"Yeah," said Serena. "I had so much fun while we were together."

Grace and Calem looked at the two, saddened by their need to separate so soon after being reunited. However, Calem remembered the discussion he and Ash had been having the night before, and an idea came to his head.

"Hey, Ash? Do you know what you're going to do after you go back?"

Ash blinked. He had been so caught up with Serena that he hadn't considered what he would do after the Silver Conference.

"Huh? Well, I was probably going to find some other Pokemon League to compete in, but I don't know which one yet. It's all kind of complicated."

"I see," said Calem. "You know, the Kalos League is said to be one of the most challenging Pokemon Leagues in the world. I can bet you that it will be a great experience for you."

At this, Ash's face lit up. If the kalos League was as tough as Calem claimed, that it would be great for him and his Pokemon to challenge it. Furthermore, he'd be able to travel with Serena, or at least visit her! He looked across towards her, and saw that she had the same look on her face.

"That sounds great!" he said finally. "I'm definitely going to-"

Before Ash could say any more, they were interrupted by a loud motor sound. They looked around and were shocked to see a huge robot that resembled a building on wheels approaching them.

"What the heck is that?!" Serena yelled.

The group watched as the machine slowed down, then stopped in front of them. Then, from the roof of the robot, three figures appeared; a young man and woman with white uniforms, with purple and pink hair respectively, and a short cream-colored catlike Pokemon.

"Prepare for trouble!" the woman declared.

"And make it double!" the man continued.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! That's right!"

"Wobbuffett!"

Ash glared at the three who were standing on top of the machine, as did Misty, Brock, Pikachu, and even Gary. The Kalos group, however, seemed slightly confused.

"They're Team Rocket?" Calem asked in surprise. "I thought an organization with such a nasty reputation would be much more impressive."

"Oh, trust me, there are some really scary people in Team Rocket," said Ash. "These three just happen to be at the very bottom."

"How dare you?!" Jessie yelled as they retreated back into the cockpit. "I'll have you know that we are extremely skilled!"

"If we were truly at the bottom, we wouldn't have put together this mechanical marvel!" James added.

"And to top it off, we're finally gonna steal that Pikachu!" Meowth declared.

"You know," said Calem, "even if they're kind of silly, the talking Meowth is pretty amazing."

With that, the machine began to spew missiles all over. The group had to run around in shock, hoping not to be hit by any of the projectiles.

"Look out!" Ash said as he and Serena jumped out of the way of a missile, which exploded… and sent out a large amount of strange badges?

"What?"

"Huh, I've heard about these," said Serena. "Apparently, someone was selling out a bunch of counterfeit Silver Conference badges."

"Well, now we know who was selling them," said Ash.

He then looked up to see that the machine had pulled out a large net from one of its arms, and was now swinging it towards Pikachu.

"Now come to Team Rocket, little Pikachu!" Meowth said happily.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled. "Look out!"

"Pikapika!"

"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "Blast it away with Seed Bomb!"

With a flash of light, Chesnaught emerged from his Pokeball and blasted out a barrage of explosive seeds. The next was torn apart by the attack, taking the Rocket trio by surprise.

"Okay, trying to attack us by hurling phony conference badges at us?" Calem said in a deadpan tone. "I know Ash said you were the bottom of the Team Rocket barrel, but that's just sad."

"Oh, you're going to be sad when we take that big lug away from you!" Meowth yelled.

"You'll pay for making a mockery of Team Rocket!" James yelled.

"Fire the badge cannons!" Jessie ordered.

Several large cannons emerged from the machine, ready to fire on command. With a great burst of sound, a huge number of badges flew out of the cannons, pelting both Chesnaught and Pikachu.

"Okay!" yelled Gary. "Blastoise! Come on out and use Rapid Spin!"

Gary's pokeball opened to reveal his starter Pokemon, who tucked his limbs into his shell and spun with extreme force. The badges were tossed out of the way, protecting the other two.

"Okay!" said Gary. "Now use Hydro Pump!"

"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "You use Seed Bomb!"

"Pikachu!" Ash called. "You use Thunderbolt!"

The three Pokemon attacked at the same time, blasting the huge robot with their combined power. However, despite taking heavy damage, it did not go down.

"Ha!" Meowth laughed. "It's going to take a lot more than some wimpy twerps and their Pokemon to beat us this time, twerps!"

The robot then lifted up its arm and pulled out another net, ready to try to catch Pikachu once again.

"Get ready, Pikachu!" Ash called out.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried as his cheeks began to spark.

It was at this point that something completely unexpected happened; a barrage of rocks flew out of the forest and hit the net, shredding it apart. Team Rocket's eyes widened as their plan was suddenly foiled.

"What?!" said James.

"How…" said Jessie.

"Who interrupted our attack?!" yelled Meowth.

Meanwhile, Ash and the others were looking around for the source of the unexpected attack. It was then that a small figure jumped out of the forest and landed in front of Ash. He blinked in surprise as he looked at the small, green being that had saved Pikachu. After a moment, however, his eyes widened in recognition.

"Larvitar?!"

The rock skin Pokemon grinned as he turned around to look at his old friend.

"But what are you doing here?" Ash asked in surprise. "And where's your mom?"

As if to answer Ash's question, a large green Pokemon walked up to him, causing the rest of the people and Pokemon to gasp in surprise.

"Is that-" Gary began.

"A Tyranitar?!" Calem gasped.

Ash looked up at the mighty pokemon standing before him, before she looked down at him with a cheerful smile. He smiled back, slightly nervous, but certain that she wouldn't harm him. Meanwhile, within the robot, Jessie, James, and Meowth were suddenly beginning to feel extremely worried.

"Um, why is that Tyranitar here?!" said Jessie.

"Maybe she followed the little guy," said Meowth. "He looks familiar, doesn't he?"

"Whatever the reason, it definitely doesn't look friendly!" yelled James.

Larvitar and his mother both turned to glare at the machine. They had come for one reason, and they weren't going to have their reunion interrupted by a bunch of criminals like Team Rocket! Tyranitar's mouth opened to reveal a huge ball of yellow energy, while Larvitar formed a smaller ball of green energy. The two Pokemon then unleashed their respective attacks, shooting at Team Rocket with an overwhelmingly powerful combination of Hyper Beam and Hidden Power. The machine was engulfed in a massive explosion, which sent the three occupants flying outwards.

"I can't believe it!" Meowth yelled angrily as they flew upwards. "We spent all this time working our tails off collecting money to make an awesome attack bot, and it blows up in our faces!"

"Maybe it would have worked better if we'd used something other than those phony badges to attack," Jessie muttered.

"Hey!" yelled James. "I'll have you know that those badges were the height of collectibility!"

"Well, they clearly weren't any good for attacking," said Meowth. "I mean look at us! We're…"

"…Blasting off agaaaaaaiiiin!" the trio cried in unison as the flew into the distance.

Back on the ground, Ash watched the trio blast off and shook his head.

 _They never learn._

"Well," Calem said as he watched the trio vanish into the distance. "That was… interesting."

"Yeah," said Gary. "So, Ash, what's the deal with those two?"

"Well," Ash explained, "Larvitar here was kidnapped by a bunch of poachers, so we took him back to his mother. We actually had just delivered him back home the day before we first met Calem."

"I see," said Calem. "So, why are they here now?"

Ash blinked, then turned down towards Larvitar in surprise. "Hey, Larvitar? What are you two doing here?"

Larvitar lifted his arms up and imitated punching. He then pointed at Ash, then did another punching motion. Ash watched in fascination, before he began to understand.

"Larvitar… do you want to join my team?"

"Tar! Larvitar!"

Surprised, Ash looked back up towards Tyranitar. "Uh… is it really okay if Larvitar comes with me?"

The armor Pokemon gazed at him with an unreadable expression, causing Ash to worry for a moment. The others watched as well, worried as to what would happen. Pikachu in particular looked at both Larvitar and his mother, wondering if the larger Pokemon would actually approve of her baby traveling with a trainer.

Then, to everyone's surprise, Tyranitar smiled and nodded. Ash grinned joyfully and turned back to Larvitar with a spare Pokeball in his hand.

"Okay, then! Pokeball, go!"

Larvitar grinned as the raven-haired trainer pressed the ball against his head, sucking him in. The Pokeball shook for a moment, before it finally let out a spark to indicate the capture. Ash smiled widely, and grabbed the Pokeball, thrusting it into the air.

"Alright! I just caught a Larvitar!"

"Pi-pikachu!"

Ash looked down at the Pokeball in his hand, and then pressed the button to release Larvitar once again. Upon being let out, the rock skin Pokemon ran up to his mother and jumped up to give her a final hug. Tyranitar smiled as she returned the embrace, then looked down at the trainer.

"I'll take good care of him, Tyranitar. You have my word."

The huge green Pokemon smiled and nodded, then let go of her infant. She then turned around and walked back into the woods. Larvitar teared up as his mother left him, but he steeled himself up and looked up at his new trainer.

"Larvitar! Larvitar!" he said with determination, causing Ash to smile.

"You're right, Larvitar! We're going to get strong together!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

"Larvitar!"

The others watched as Ash happily celebrated with his new Pokemon. However, all good things had to come to an end, and this was no exception.

"Well, we should really get going," said Grace. "After all, we don't want to be late for our flight, do we?"

"Of course not," said Serena.

"Yeah," said Calem. "So Ash, are you going to challenge the Kalos league now?"

Ash grinned. "Oh yeah! No doubt about that!"

Serena smiled happily. If Ash was coming to Kalos, then she wouldn't have be separated from him after all! And maybe they'd even get to travel together!

"That's great!" said Grace. "I'll bet you're going to do great!"

"Yeah," said Gary. "Hey, Calem? Since I'm not going to do gym battles anymore, Ash needs a good rival to keep him on his toes. You make sure to give him a good challenge, okay?"

This caused everyone to laugh, although Calem and Ash gave each other a knowing smile.

"And Ash?" Gary said as he turned to his former rival. "You go out there and win the Kalos League, you hear me?"

Ash smiled confidently. "Oh, you bet! I'm going to win! You just wait and see!"

With that, the group began to disperse, with everyone going their separate ways. The Kalos group went off towards the airport, Gary headed off for Pallet Town, and Ash and the gang headed towards Viridian City.

"Bye!" said Calem. "It was great to meet you all!"

"Same here!" said Brock. "Goodbye!"

"I hope to see you soon!" said Serena.

"Me too!" said Ash.

"Good luck!" said Gary. "See you later!"

"See you soon!" said Grace.

"Bye!" said Misty. "Good luck!"

With that, everyone went off, heading towards their next great adventure.

* * *

 ** _A/N: And there you have it, folks! Ash is going to Kalos several years ahead of schedule!_**

 _ **Obviously, Serena is his main motivation for going to Kalos. However there's another reason why: In canon, Ash's main motivation for going to Hoenn was due to Harrison's influence. Of course, in this story he met Calem instead, and thus Ash has no one to tell him about Hoenn. Therefore, the only choice left is Kalos.**_

 _ **Also, Larvitar returns! And he joins ash on his journey! How will this affect Ash's journey?**_


	10. Going Separate Ways

"YOU WHAT?!"

"We just won a world cruise!" said Daisy. "And so we need you to take over the Gym! Ciao!"

As the connection was broken, Misty was left sitting in front of the videophone, shocked by the news. Of all the things she'd expected to hear, she had not expected her sisters to dump their responsibilities onto her. And she was not expecting to have her travels interrupted by this sudden change.

"But… but… what just happened?" she asked dumbfoundedly.

Ash, Brock and Pikachu watched the orange-haired girl mumbling as she stared blankly at the screen. After a moment, the implications began to set in.

"Misty?" Ash said worriedly. "If you have to go back to the gym… does that mean that you won't be traveling with us anymore?"

"Pikaaa?"

Misty sighed, then looked downwards at Togepi, who was looking around in confusion.

"Yeah. I'm not going to travel with you guys anymore."

"But you've been with us forever!" Brock complained. "You can't just-"

"Excuse me, Misty!" Nurse Joy said, causing them all to turn around. There, to their shock, was Misty's bicycle, good as new.

"My bike!" she said in amazement.

"Oh, yeah," Ash muttered.

"Yes, it is," said Joy. "The Nurse Joy who worked here before me managed to fix it up, and now it's as good as new!"

"My… bike," Misty said as old memories resurfaced. She remembered how, on the day she first met Ash, he had "borrowed" it to escape from a flock of Spearow. She then remembered going out to look for the boy, only to find the charred remains of her bike. After that, she had hunted down the annoying kid who'd stolen and destroyed her bike, and that was how their adventures together had begun.

And then, slowly but surely, she'd begun to see Ash as more than just some annoying kid who wrecked bikes. He was brave, kind, selfless, honest, and loyal, and he made friends with everyone who crossed his path. True, he was also rash, hot-headed, and quite dense, but his positive qualities managed to outweigh the negatives. And so Misty had come to admire him, and eventually feel things she'd never imagined she'd ever feel.

And then Serena had appeared out of nowhere, causing all her dreams to fall apart. But then, she'd come to realize that, even if he didn't feel the same way for her, they could still have a special bond that was truly unique to them.

The orange-haired girl was then broken out of her thoughts by the sound of Ash's voice.

"This is the same bike that brought us all together, isn't it? Can you imagine what would have happened if Pikachu hadn't destroyed it?"

"Pikachu!"

Misty couldn't help but smile at Ash's words. As angry as she had been when the Pikachu charred her bike, it had led to their friendship, and eventually to the sibling-like bond she had with Ash.

"Yeah," she said sadly. "We might never have had any of our adventures together. I might never have found Togepi, or any of my other great Pokemon."

"Togepriii!"

"And I would never have been able to go out and become a great Pokemon Breeder!" said Brock.

"Yeah!" said Ash. "And all the adventures I had might not have happened either! I might not have gone to the Orange Islands, or Johto, or… been reunited with Serena."

The raven haired boy's face became slightly red as he mentioned this last part, causing Misty to chuckle sadly.

"Yeah. It was all because of this bike."

Ash smiled as he remembered all his travels with his surrogate sister, and then turned to Brock.

"So, I guess it will be just you and me in Kalos?" he asked.

"Don't forget Serena," Misty added mischievously, causing Ash to blush again.

"About that," said Brock. "I have several things I need to check up on at home, so I might not be able to join you."

"What?!" Ash said in shock. "You too?!"

"I know," said Brock. "But don't worry. If all goes well, I'll join you in Kalos as soon as I can!"

Ash sighed, then smiled.

"It's okay, Brock. I understand. You have duties, and I shouldn't blame you for fulfilling them."

"Pika!"

The three friends smiled at each other, enjoying the last few hours they'd be able to share all together.

* * *

A short while later, the three friends walked down the road together. They were all looking downwards, saddened by their need to leave each other.

"Man," said Ash. "It's so hard to believe that you're leaving, Misty. And you too, Brock! We've been through everything together!"

"Pikaaa…"

"Togie-togie."

"I know," said Misty, still thinking about all the good times she'd spent with Ash and Brock. She had never imagined that her journey would end like this, but she knew that the Cerulean gym needed her.

"It's tough for all of us," added Brock. He was hoping that he'd be able to finish his business quickly, but he didn't know what awaited him. If it wasn't good, then he might not be able to travel for a long time.

The group continued to walk in silence, not quite sure what to say. Eventually, they came to a fork in the road, with three different paths. One lead to Pallet Town, another to Cerulean City, and the final one led to Pewter City.

"Well," said Misty, "here we are."

"Togepriii…"

"I see," said Ash. "This is where you leave us."

"And it's also where I take my leave," said Brock.

"Pikachu…"

The three friends stood at the crossroads silently for a moment, before Misty began to speak.

"Well, Ash, you take care now. Brush your teeth, get plenty of exercise, and make sure Pikachu doesn't eat too much."

"Pika!" Pikachu replied indignantly. He never ate too much!

"Don't worry, Misty," said Ash. "I'll be just fine!"

"Of course you will," said Brock. "Even so, don't forget to take care of yourself."

Ash chuckled for a moment, then frowned. He had been with those two since the very beginning of his journey, and now they were finally leaving him. Memories flowed through him, reminding him of every happy moment he'd spent with them, and his eyes began to water.

"I still can't believe we're all leaving each other," he said with a shaky voice.

"Hey, don't worry," said Misty. "It's not going to be forever!"

"Togepriii!"

"Yeah!" said Brock. "I might even get to go to Kalos with you, so you'll have at least one friend with you on your journey!"

 _Two if you count Serena_ , Misty thought to herself, but she didn't let herself feel resentful. She'd made peace with her feelings towards Ash.

"I guess so," said Ash, "But you guys have been with me forever… I never thought I'd be traveling without you two!"

At this, the other two trainers became visibly saddened. They also had many fond memories of their travels with Ash, and they also found it hard to let go.

"Yeah," said Misty. "But we'll meet again, right?"

"Of course we will!" said Brock. "And when we do, we'll be able to tell each other all about the things that happened to us while we were apart!"

Ash smiled sadly. "Yeah, we will. And we'll always remember the great times we spent together, right?"

"Obviously!" said Misty.

They all smiled together for a moment, their friendship as strong as it had ever been. Then, Brock began to speak.

"Well, it's about time for me to head off."

"Yeah," said Misty. "I should go as well. The gym won't take care of itself, you know."

Ash took a deep breath. He was not going to let himself cry in front of his friends.

"Misty… Brock… thanks for everything. You guys are the best companions a trainer could ask for."

"Pi-Pikachu!"

The two smiled sympathetically at the raven-haired boy, and then pulled him in for a group hug.

"We had a blast with you, Ash," said Brock. "Never forget that."

"Now go out and win the Kalos League," said Misty. "We know you can!"

"Togepriii!"

Ash smiled at his friend's words of encouragement, and a few tears managed to escape. "Guys… I'm going to miss you!"

"Pikaa!"

As the group pulled away, Ash saw that both of his friends had tears in their eyes as well.

"We'll miss you too," said Misty.

"But we know you'll do great," said Brock.

The group smiled for a moment, then began to walk along their respective paths.

"Goodbye, Ash!" Misty said as she got onto her bike. "Goodbye Brock!"

"Bye guys!" said Brock. "Until we meet again!"

"Brock! Misty!" Ash called. "I'll never forget you!"

"PikaPika!"

With that, Ash began to run off as fast as he could, his eyes filling with tears. It pained him to leave his friends behind, but he was determined to be a strong trainer even without their help.

 _Brock… you were there to guide us everywhere we went. You cooked for us, you helped care for us, and you knew everything about how to raise Pokemon… I have no idea how we could have gotten this far without you._

 _And Misty… we got off to a bad start, but you were always there to support me. True, we fought and nagged at each other all the time, but we always cared about each other, and you gave me the strength to never give up. Misty- big sis- thank you._

Tears kept streaming down his cheeks as he ran back towards Pallet Town. After a while, he began to slow down, his thoughts still collecting themselves as he walked.

"Man, Pikachu," he said sadly. "Now it's just you and me, huh?"

"Pikaaa."

For about a minute, the two continued to walk together, not really noticing anything that was happening around them. All around them, there were trees filled with Pokemon getting ready for the night. On the horizon, Ash could see the sun setting into the distant sea, as a few boats docked into the port of Pallet Town. Up above them, there were a few flying type Pokemon, but nothing particularly notable.

Until Pikachu caught sight of something amazing.

"Pikapi-Pikachu!"

Surprised, Ash looked towards his partner, who was pointing towards the sky. Wondering what he'd seen, Ash turned his head upwards, and gasped.

"Ho-Oh!"

Far above the two, the majestic legendary Pokemon flew through the clouds, illuminating the sky with a beautiful rainbow glow. The great red Pokemon almost seemed to smile at Ash as it passed over them, its colorful wings flapped elegantly as it soared westwards. Slowly, it became smaller as it vanished into the distance.

"Pikachuuu…" Ash's partner said in awe.

"I know," Ash said in amazement. "I think Ho-Oh's flying towards the Kalos Region."

Slowly, both trainer and Pokemon could feel their spirits being lifted. Seeing the legendary Pokemon had filled them with resolve, and with newfound determination, they began to run. This time, however, there were no tears in their eyes.

"Come on, Pikachu!" said Ash. "The sooner we get back home, the sooner we can figure out how we're going to get to-"

Before he could finish, he felt the ground beneath him collapsing. Pikachu yelped as well, and the two fell into a huge hole.

"Whoa!" Ash yelped in shock as he landed. "What just happened?!"

"Pikapika!"

As the two looked around for an answer, they heard a familiar laugh coming from above them. They looked up, and saw a familiar trio standing at the hole's opening.

"You again?!" he yelled angrily. "What are you doing here?!"

"Prepare for trouble, you should know by now!" said Jessie.

"And make it double, 'cause you know how!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

"Wobbuffet!"

The group laughed as they glared at the hole. Upon looking at it, however, they were shocked to see that it was now empty.

"What?!" they all yelled out. However, their shock only increased after they heard a voice from behind.

"Team Rocket! I should have known you'd try some dirty trick like this!"

The criminal group turned around and screamed when they saw Ash and Pikachu right behind them. More surprising, however, was the addition of a small green Pokemon.

"What?!" yelled Jessie. "How did you get out of there?!"

"I had Larvitar use Dig while you three were distracted with your motto."

For a moment, Jessie, James, Meowth, and even Wobbuffet stared blankly at Ash and his Pokemon. After a moment, however, they managed to compose themselves.

"Well, that doesn't mean we can't take you down!" said Jessie. "Arbok, go!"

"Absolutely!" said James. "Go, Weezing!"

With a pair of flashes of light, a large purple snakelike pokemon and a duo of connected balls of gas appeared and charged forwards at Ash. However, he was ready.

"Pikachu! Thunderbolt! Larvitar, Rock Throw!"

Pikachu fired off a blast of electricity, while Larvitar tossed out a huge rock. Weezing cried out as it was struck by the Thunderbolt while Arbok hissed in pain as it was crushed by the rock.

"Alright!" Ash said with determination. "Now Pikachu, use Thunderbolt again!"

"Wobbuffet!" Jessie yelled. "Counter it!"

Pikachu unleashed another blast, but Wobbuffet cried out as it jumped into the path of the attack. Its body began to glow as the attack hit it, and it sent the attack right back at its opponent. The mouse Pokemon barely had time to react before it was slammed by its own attack, amplified by the force of Wobbuffet's Mirror Coat.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

"Pikaaa!"

Larvitar's eyes widened as his partner landed next to him, badly battered. He then cringed as he looked back at his opponents, who now massively outnumbered him.

"Ha!" yelled Meowth. "Now you can't defeat us without your little Pikachu!"

"Why don't you do yourself a favor and just give up?" said James.

"We have Wobbuffet on our side, so any attacks you throw at us will be tossed back at you!" added Jessie.

Ash gritted his teeth as he grabbed another Pokeball. He was not going to let these creeps lose!"

"Well, you can try all you want, but we're not going to lose no matter what!" he said.

"Oh, really?" said Meowth. "And who's going to stop us?"

At that moment, almost as if to answer the question, a massive whirlwind suddenly formed around Team Rocket, while somehow leaving Ash and his Pokemon completely unharmed.

"What?!" Ash said in shock as he put his Pokeball back. "Who's doing that?!"

Within the tornado, Team Rocket screamed as they flew in circles around the huge wind vortex.

"Waaaah!" Jessie cried. "Who's the joker who's doing this to uuuuus?!"

"I'm going to be siiiiick!" James moaned.

"Meowth! Me too!"

"Wobbuffeeeeeet!"

Finally, with a huge gust of wind, the three were sent flying into the horizon.

"We're blasting off agaaaaain!"

Ash stood watching the trio fly away for a moment, confused as to who or what had caused the strange incident to occur.

"What was that?" he asked as he helped Pikachu get back up.

"Pika?…"

"Lar?"

Then, the three heard a sudden voice which answered their question.

"Piiidge!"

They looked up, and were amazed to see a large orange Pokemon with long yellow head feathers descending towards them. As it reached them, Ash kept staring, hardly believing what he was seeing.

"Is that… Pidgeot?!"

The birdlike Pokemon landed next to Ash, cooing gently as it landed. The raven-haired trainer kept looking for a moment, before his face grew into a wide grin.

"Pidgeot!" he cried as he flung his arms around his old friend, who proceeded to wrap its wings around him. Pikachu grinned as well, and jumped right into the hug.

"I've missed you so much!"

"Pikapika!"

"Pidgeot!"

Ash laughed as the bird Pokemon rubbed its beak against him affectionately. It had been a long time since they last saw each other, and they were both overjoyed to see each other again.

Larvitar observed the display of affection, unsure of what to do. Both Ash and Pikachu seemed to know the newcomer, but did that mean he should join them too? After all, it was a stranger to him. Fortunately, Ash seemed to notice the little Pokemon's hesitance, and decided to speak up.

"Hey, Larvitar! Come on and join us!"

At this, Larvitar perked up and run over to join them. Pidgeot was briefly surprised by Ash's newest Pokemon, but accepted it into the hug as well. They remained like this for a minute, then pulled away.

"So, Pidgeot?" Ash asked. "How has your flock been?"

Pidgeot squawked happily, which Ash took to mean that they were doing good.

"So, what about Fearow? Has it been giving you any trouble lately?"

Pidgeot shook its head, then swiped at the air with its feathers, as if to tell Ash that the Fearow was no longer a problem.

"That's great!" said Ash. "And how have you been?"

Pidgeot did not answer immediately, but it stared at Ash with longing eyes, as if asking him something. The raven-haired boy then began to realize just how long he'd left it behind.

"Oh," he said in understanding. "You missed me, didn't you?"

"Pidgeot."

Ash sighed as he remembered how he'd promised to come back for Pidgeot.

"I'm sorry I took so long, buddy. I had a lot of things to do, and I guess it just slipped my mind. Can you forgive me?"

Pidgeot cawed out as it nodded, causing Ash to smile.

"Thanks, buddy. Now that I'm back, why don't you come along?"

A huge grin appeared on Pidgeot's beak, and it hugged Ash while squawking happily.

"Okay!" Ash said as Pidgeot's feathers poked all around him. "I'll take that as a yes!"

"Pidgeot!"

Ash smiled as the bird Pokemon let go of him. He then looked down at his other two Pokemon.

"Okay, guys! Let's go to Pallet Town!"

The group then began to walk towards Pallet Town once more. It had been an eventful day for them, but it had been one that Ash would cherish forever.

* * *

 _ **A/N: So, after Larvitar joined Ash in the last chapter, I realized that many of you (well, at least one reviewer) wanted to see Pidgeot rejoin Ash's team as well. Fortunately for you, I did too.**_

 _ **Also, rewatching the canon version of Misty's departure episode made me realize how much the original series (Or, at least, the English dub) wanted Pokeshipping to become canon. Me… not so much. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Misty, but I've never been able to think of her and Ash as a couple. I don't know why, but I just can't. Personally, I've always seen their relationship as more of an honorary sibling-type thing, as evidenced by the last few chapters.**_

 _ **On the other hand, romantic feelings or not, Misty never had the guts to give Ash a kiss, unlike a certain performer who we all know and love!**_

 _ **Finally, I'd like to give a big shout out to UCCMaster, for what might just be the most detailed and insightful review I've received so far. I'll make sure to keep your advice in mind as I move forwards!**_


	11. A New Adventure Begins!

Jessie, James, and Meowth screamed as they fell from the sky. The ground then shook as they landed with a crash.

"Ugh… I'm never gonna get used to that," Meowth groaned.

"You can say that again," James moaned.

"This is unbelievable!" Jessie yelled as she got to her feet. "Even when that twerp is all alone, we still can't capture that Pikachu!"

"Yeah," Meowth said angrily. "It's almost like the universe wants us to fail forever."

"Well," said James, " if there's one silver lining to all of this, it's that the Boss wasn't around to see that failure."

"Maybe," said Jessie. "But he's still going to be mad if he finds out."

"Then maybe we should avoid mentioning that any of this happened," said Meowth.

"Oh, you don't have to mention anything."

At this moment, the trio felt a collective shiver crawl up their spine. Cursing their luck, they turned around to see the angry face of Giovanni.

"B-Boss!"

"Yes, indeed," Giovanni said angrily. "Now, would you three failures mind explaining why you landed right in front of Team Rocket headquarters?"

At this moment, the trio realized where they were. The intense wind had launched them flying to the outskirts of Viridian City, where the current headquarters of their organization was located. And right into Giovanni's hands.

"Please don't fire us, Boss!" the trio pleaded together as they fell to their knees.

"We've been working so hard to catch an extremely powerful Pokémon for you!" yelled Jessie.

"We may have failed a couple of times, but that's just 'cause of how strong it is!" Meowth cried.

"And we know we can win eventually, so please have mercy!" pleaded James.

For a moment, the intimidating man simply stared at them. The trio held their breath as they watched with pleading faces, hoping that he would allow them to remain.

Finally, Giovanni's frown turned into a smirk.

"Perhaps I can find a use for you after all."

Immediately, three huge smiles formed on the trio's faces. They got to their feet and began to thank their Boss endlessly, grateful for not being tossed to the side.

* * *

Jessie, James, and Meowth all shivered as Giovanni led them to his office. While it was an honor to be given a new assignment by him, they were all worried about just what said assignment would entail.

"Here we are," Giovanni said as they reached the office. He opened the door and gestured towards the three to enter. They looked at each other nervously, but eventually chose to go inside. Once they had stepped in, their leader followed and closed the door behind him. Meowth heard something hiss in his direction, and turned to see Persian glaring at him. Feeling a shiver crawl up his spine, he hid behind his two partners.

Once Giovanni was certain that they were not being heard by anyone, he began to speak.

"As you know, Team Rocket is the most prominent criminal organization in the Kanto and Johto regions. However, at times we have had to deal with… rivals from other regions."

James raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"There are other organizations that wish to become as powerful as Team Rocket. If that were to happen, they would become a major threat to us. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that we keep these rival groups in check, or better yet, eliminate them altogether."

The trio grimaced. The thought of other criminal groups strong enough to overthrow their own was a disturbing idea.

"Just a few years ago, one such organization rose in the Orre region. It was known as Cipher, and it was one of the greatest threats Team Rocket has ever known. No law enforcement agency has ever come as close to destroying us as Cipher has."

"Really?" Jessie asked nervously. "Why were they so dangerous?"

Giovanni closed his eyes as he recalled the events.

"The scientists of Cipher discovered a way to corrupt Pokémon while increasing their power to unbelievable levels. These 'Shadow Pokémon' had their emotions and free will removed, turning them into obedient, unquestioning, remorseless slaves. In addition, they possessed powerful attacks that did massive damage to all other Pokémon. They were the perfect slaves."

The trio grimaced. The description of Cipher reminded them of a person they were all too familiar with.

"As you can imagine, such an organization would be a great threat to Team Rocket. Therefore, I sent a high-ranking agent to infiltrate Cipher in order to destroy it. Fortunately, with the help of some… outside assistance, Cipher fell."

The three other Rockets looked at each other, wondering what Giovanni had meant by 'outside assistance.' However, there were more pressing concerns at the moment.

"So does that mean that you want us to take down some other bad guy team?" Meowth asked.

"Partly, yes," said Giovanni. "Tell me. Are you familiar with the Kalos region?"

"Isn't that where Lumiose City is?" Jessie asked curiously. "Potentially the biggest city in the world?"

"Correct," said Giovanni. "In the last few months, our spies have reported suspicious activity from an organization known as Team Flare. While we haven't been able to find out who leads them or what their motivations are, we have reason to believe that they represent a potential threat to Team Rocket."

"So what do you want us to do about it?" Meowth asked nervously. "You think we can take them down all on our own?"

At this, Giovanni burst into laughter, causing the other three to stare blankly.

"Oh, of course not," said Giovanni. "I have chosen an elite member of Team Rocket to go to the Kalos region. They have been tasked with investigating Team Flare 's motives, and eliminate them if necessary. I have also sent several lower-ranking members to offer assistance for this mission."

"So you want us to go with them?" Jessie asked.

Giovanni nodded. "While you three have a poor reputation within Team Rocket, I believe that you can be very useful for this mission, provided that you actually follow orders instead of endlessly chasing some child's Pikachu!"

The trio shuddered as their boss mentioned this last part. However, they quickly snapped out of it when he cleared his throat.

"You will be sent to the Kalos region within the next few days. Once there, you will report to our agent. While you are in the region, you shall report to them, and complete any and all objectives that you are assigned to do. Most important of all, you shall refrain from messing with useless Pikachu trainers unless necessary. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir!"

Giovanni smiled. "Good. I shall inform my agent. I expect the three of you to obey every order given to you be your new supervisor.

The three nodded. While they weren't sure about taking orders from someone who wasn't Giovanni, they were determined to prove that they still belonged in Team Rocket.

* * *

A few days later, Giovanni relaxed at his desk as he drank a cup of coffee. His Persian was purring contentedly as it sat next to him, with his fingers passing through its glossy coat. Both of them had to agree that it was so nice to be able to sit down and enjoy the simple things.

But, alas, when one is the leader of a powerful criminal organization, such moments never last, and it was so that he was interrupted by a knock on his door. Sighing to himself, he set his mug back down on his desk.

"Come in."

The door opened to reveal a man in white clothes with short cyan hair. The man saluted him before he began to speak.

"Sir, all agents are ready for departure. As soon as you give the order, they shall leave for the Kalos region.

"Excellent," Giovanni said with a pleased tone. "Thank you, Archer."

"Although," Archer continued, "I must admit that I am surprised that you chose agents James, Jessie, and Meowth. After all, their reputation has always been… less than stellar."

"True," said Giovanni. "However, they are tenacious, as evidenced by their constant attempts to steal a useless Pikachu for almost two years. I believe that, if they would stop focusing on a lost cause like that, they could become a great asset to Team Rocket. That is why I have included them on this mission."

 _Not to mention that I'd enjoy some time without those idiots bothering me,_ he thought to himself.

"I see," Archer said hesitantly. "But how do you know that they won't do more harm than good?"

At this, Giovanni chuckled darkly as a smirk formed on his face.

"Because the agent they now work for shall ensure that they stay on task… or else."

* * *

It had been about a week since Serena had returned to Vaniville Town, and she could not be more excited. Today was the day that Ash Ketchum would come to Kalos, and she could not wait to see him again. She knew that he wanted to take part in the Kalos League, and she wanted to be there to support him all the way.

Of course, this meant traveling. And if she was going to travel through Kalos, she needed to have Pokémon of her own. And therefore, she had finally decided to get her very own starter from Professor Sycamore in Lumiose City.

At the moment, she was wearing a sleeveless black shirt with a white collar, a red skirt, black stockings, and black shoes. There was only one thing she was missing.

"Mom!"

As Grace entered the room, her daughter held up two hats.

"Which do you like the most?"

Grace paused. One hat was pink, with a black ribbon running along the middle. The other was a red hat with a white border at the bottom.

"Hmm," said Grace. "I like the red one the best."

"Okay!" Seems said as she tossed the hat her mother had indicated away. "Pink one it is!"

Grace sighed. "Why did you ask me if you had already chosen?"

"I wasn't asking you to choose," Serena said as she put the pink hat on. "I asked which one you liked the most. Whichever one you didn't like is obviously the better choice!"

Grace rolled her eyes. "I'm sure Ash would love any hat you chose, Serena."

"Yes, but you can't say that about every other person. I have to look my best when I get my first Pokémon!"

Grace chuckled as Serena got everything else ready. While she wasn't certain about her daughter leaving her Rhyhorn Racing training behind, she was at least glad that she had found a good friend to travel with. Who knows, maybe she'd find her true calling on her journey.

"Well, I guess you're going to meet up with Calem and Shauna at Aquacorde Town before you all go to Lumiose together?"

Serena nodded. After they had returned to Kalos, Calem had gone to visit his girlfriend, and was overjoyed when she revealed her intention to start her own journey. Unsurprisingly, Shauna wanted to travel with Calem, as well as fulfill her own dreams. Serena didn't know what those dreams were, but she knew that they were probably much more thought out than hers.

"Well, then you should probably get going," said Grace. "You don't want to keep Calem and Shauna waiting, do you?"

"Right!" Serena said as she grabbed her backpack. "I'm going to have a great time with Ash!"

"I know you will."

The two smiled at each other, enjoying each other's company for the last time before they were separated again. Then, the honey-blonde girl began to walk out her room, with her mother following close behind.

"See you later, mom!" Serena called as she ran out the front door.

"Have a great time, Serena!" Grace called back. "And say hi to Ash for me!"

The soon-to-be Pokémon trainer waved as she ran towards the town's gate. She then ran towards Aquacorde Town, ready to begin her journey with her old friend.

* * *

Ash stood on the battlefield of Viridian City's Pokémon Center. He was wearing a brand new outfit, which consisted of a black t-shirt, gray pants, red and black sneakers, red and black fingerless gloves, and a red hat with a white semicircle at the top. He also had a new jacket; it was a bright blue, with a white border going along the edges, along with the sleeves and the zipper. Were it not for the short sleeves, it would be almost identical to Calem's jacket.

He didn't know when or where his mother had gotten the jacket, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with Grace.

The most notable part of his new look, however, was hanging from his neck. There, an old, rusty Pokeball hung from a metal chain, forming a rather unconventional necklace. While many would find it unfashionable, Ash liked to keep his new good luck charm close by.

He was still surprised that Gary told him to keep both halves of the old Pokeball. Perhaps since he no longer wished to become a Pokémon Master, he felt that keeping his half was incompatible with his current goal. Or maybe he didn't think that he needed a good luck charm anymore. Whatever the reason, he'd told Ash to keep both pieces of the ball.

 _I dunno. Make yourself a necklace like mine, it you want._

Ash chuckled as he wondered what Gary would say when he found out that he'd actually taken his advice.

For now, however, he chose to focus on his training. And so he turned to Pikachu and gave his command.

"Pikachu! Use Magnet Rise!"

Pikachu's cheeks began to crackle as he slowly lifted off the ground. His body went higher and higher, and his tail spread out beneath him like a surfboard. Down below, Larvitar and Pidgeot watched with fascination.

Finally, the mouse Pokémon placed his feet onto his tail and began to move forwards.

"Pikapika!"

"Awesome!" Ash yelled as he watched from below. "Let's see how fast you can go!"

Pikachu was happy to oblige, and it spun around in the air, going as fast as it could. It seemed to have a relatively good control of its aerial ability, even if it had only been able to use the technique for a short time.

"Great!" Ash called. "Now use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu's cheeks sparked again as he prepared to unleash a powerful current of electricity. He then let out a cry as he began to let his power loose.

And promptly fell back towards the ground.

"Pika!"

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled as he ran towards his partner. Larvitar and Pidgeot gasped as they saw their friend falling, but Ash was able to catch Pikachu before anything serious could happen, causing them both to sigh in relief.

"Hey, Pikachu," Ash said as he cradled the electric rodent. He then winced as he was shocked by some residual electricity.

"Pika-pi," Pikachu said apologetically as Ash set him back on the ground.

"It's alright, buddy," said Ash. "You're doing great even if you're having trouble using that attack."

Pikachu blushed as he scratched the back of his head. Ash's other two Pokémon then decided to join in, giving Pikachu words of encouragement.

"I wonder why your Magnet Rise always fail right when you decide to use Thunderbolt."

"A good question, for sure."

Ash looked up to see Professor Oak walking up to him, with Delia following him closely.

"Do you have any idea why?" asked Ash.

"Well," Oak began, "it's possible that Pikachu has a limit to how much electricity it can generate at any given time. Usually, since it only uses one electric type move at a time, this isn't an issue. However, if it attempts to use two, such as Magnet Rise and Thunderbolt, then it can't generate enough power to sustain both attacks simultaneously. Therefore, one of its two moves has to fail, and since it's focusing on Thunderbolt, Magnet Rise fails."

"Oh," said Ash. "So that's why it can't use them both at the same time?"

"I believe that is the case."

Ash sighed, but didn't let the news bother him too much. He knew that he and Pikachu could find a way around the problem.

"Thanks, Professor," he said with a smile. "I'm glad I could get that figured out before we went to Kalos."

"Ah, Kalos," Oak said happily. "It's quite a lovely place, if I do say so myself. And Professor Sycamore is quite an amazing individual. His studies on Pokémon evolution are famous among us professors."

"I sure hope so," said Ash. "Serena wants to get her first Pokémon from him."

Oak nodded, then reached into his pocket. He then took out a red object and handed it to Ash.

"Before you go to Kalos, Ash, I think you'd like to have a new Pokedex."

"A new Pokedex?" Ash said as he took the device into his hands.

"This is the newest and most unique Pokedex ever designed," Oak said proudly. "With a little help from a cousin of mine who lives in the Alola region, I've created a truly amazing Pokedex, full of wonderful functions that will assist you in your journey through Kalos!"

Ash's eyes widened as he looked at the device he held, as his Pokémon did the same. He didn't know much about technology, but he was still impressed by the professor's description. And if it was truly as amazing as he said it was, then Ash couldn't wait to see what it could do.

As he took a good look at it, however, he couldn't help but feel that something was off. The shape was unlike any Pokedex he'd ever seen before; the bottom was rather square, while the top had two thick points on the sides, and one thin point at the top. In addition, the screen had two round holes at the top, almost like eyes.

It was very strange. Indeed, if Ash hadn't known better, he would have thought that it had an uncanny resemblance to-

"WATCH IT! YOU'RE GONNA SQUISH ME!"

Ash and his Pokémon yelled out in shock as he dropped the device. However, instead of falling to the ground, the Pokedex began to float in midair, coated with a light blue aura. And, to Ash's shock, it had gained a pair of bolt-shaped arms and short circular legs. However, the most notable change was on the screen, where the two holes had been replaced by a pair of eyes, and the rest of the screen was taken by a mischievous grin. The Pokedex then burst into laughter.

"Oh man, you should see your face! You look like you just saw a ghost! Although, I guess you technically did? Ah, who cares?!"

As the Pokedex continued to laugh, Ash stared in shock. He had no idea what was happening with his new Pokedex, but a cursory glance at Oak suggested that he did.

"Professor? What just happened?"

The old professor sighed as he watched his creation laugh hysterically.

"I was afraid this would happen. You see, one of the things that makes this Pokedex so innovative is the integration of a Rotom into its computer matrix."

"The Pokedex… has a Rotom living in it?!"

"Exactly," said Oak. "You see, my cousin Samson had the idea that integrating a Rotom into the Pokedex would vastly increase its power, allowing it to obtain new functions that no other Pokedex could have on its own. It's a revolutionary idea for sure, but not without… issues."

"Hey!" the Rotom Pokedex snapped. "I don't have issues! I'm perfectly happy with myself!"

Ash sighed. As if having his old Pokedex possessed by a Pokémon wasn't strange enough, it would now be joining him on his journey while possessing the new one. Then again, it wasn't like this sort of thing didn't happen a lot to him already.

Wait… his old Pokedex…

"Professor?" Ash asked suddenly. "Is this-"

"The very same Rotom that possessed your old Pokedex? Yes, that's the one."

Ash stared at his new Pokedex, apprehensive about its intentions. However, he finally decided to take it into his hands.

"So," he said as he held the Pokedex. "Do I just point you at Pokémon like a normal Pokedex?"

"Nah, I can point myself."

The Rotom then floated over to Pikachu.

" _Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pichu. Pikachu's tail is sometimes struck by lightning as it raises it to check its surroundings._ Honestly, you'd think they'd have figured something better out by now!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out in indignation. Rotom ignored him, however, and continued.

"Male Pikachu with the Static ability. Knows Thunderbolt, Agility, Quick Attack, and Magnet Rise. Not a bad moveset, but I'd suggest a move like Grass Knot, Brick Break, or Iron Tail. You need something for ground types, man!"

Ash blinked. He'd never really thought about that. As he looked at Pikachu, he could tell that he was thinking the same thing.

"Actually, that would be a good idea," said Professor Oak. "Pikachu needs a way to fight back if it's forced to go against a ground type Pokémon. I would suggest-"

"Moving on!" said Rotom, interrupting Oak. "You're up next!"

Rotom floated up to Larvitar, causing a drop of sweat to climb down his forehead.

" _Larvitar, the Rock Skin Pokémon. Larvitar feeds on soil. After it has eaten a large mountain, it will fall asleep so it can grow._ Exactly _how_ it manages to eat a whole mountain is a mystery. And if that's the case, then why haven't any mountains mysteriously disappeared due to sudden Larvitar invasions?"

Larvitar turned harder than rock, causing Rotom to frown. Nevertheless, it continued with its analysis.

"Male Larvitar with the Guts ability. Knows Rock Slide, Dig, Hidden Power, and… Harden? I thought Larvitar couldn't learn Harden!"

"Yeah," said Ash. "Well, Larvitar is really unique."

"Whatever," said Rotom. It then floated up to Pidgeot.

" _Pidgeot, the Bird Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pidgeotto. By flapping its wings with all its might, Pidgeot can make a gust of wind capable of bending tall trees._ Which means that all the deforestation in Kanto can be blamed on Pidgeot!"

Pidgeot huffed angrily, but Rotom ignored it.

"Female Pidgeot with the Keen Eye ability. Knows Hurricane, Sand Attack, Heat Wave, and Double Edge. Pretty good, I must say. How did it learn Heat Wave, though? I mean-"

"Wait," Ash said, preventing Rotom from snarking. "Pidgeot's a girl?"

"Apparently."

Ash looked at Pidgeot in surprise.

"Huh. I wasn't expecting that."

Pidgeot shrugged and placed her wing on Ash's shoulder, causing Rotom to laugh and Pikachu to sigh. Larvitar, who had de-hardened a moment ago, was simply staring in confusion.

"Well," Oak said, clearly exasperated. "This has been all been fun, but I believe that your plane shall be leaving shortly, Ash. We should get to the airport now."

"Good idea, Professor," Ash said as he grabbed two Pokeballs. "Larvitar, Pidgeot, return."

As the two were sucked back in, Ash turned to the Pokedex.

"So, are you going into my pocket or something?"

Rotom shrugged. "Eh, I guess. Personally, I'd rather be outside. It's so much easier to mess with random schmucks when I'm out in the-"

Ash grabbed the possessed device and shoved it into his pocket. He could hear some muffled protests, but he didn't pay it much attention.

"I can tell this is going to be complicated."

"Pikachuuu."

"I'm sure Rotom will be helpful to you," Oak said with an awkward-looking smile. "Well, most of the time, at least."

Ash sighed, then turned to his mother. She was holding a new backpack for him.

"I put everything you need in your backpack," she said. "I also made sure to include enough pairs of under-"

"MOM!"

Pikachu and Delia both burst into laughter, and Ash was certain that he'd heard Rotom's muffled laughter as well.

"Well, as long as you make sure to stay clean, I'm sure you'll have no trouble sweeping Serena right off her feet!"

Ash groaned as Pikachu laughed. However, he then gave his mother a smile. "Thanks mom."

"You're welcome, dear," said Delia. "Now why don't we go to the airport? Your angel is waiting for you, isn't she?"

Ash's face turned red. "Well… let's just go.

The three humans, along with Pikachu, made their way to the airport. The journey was a rather short one, and they quickly arrived.

"So, Ash," said Professor Oak. "Are you sure you don't want to take any more Pokémon with you? After all, there's no telling what kinds of situations you'll encounter in the Kalos region, and I feel that you'd be better prepared if you took more than just three Pokémon."

"I know, Professor," said Ash. "But I feel that it would feel better if I only took three Pokémon with me. That way my team has enough space for me to catch and train new Pokémon when we get to Kalos. Truth be told, I was considering having a fresh start with just Pikachu, but since I just caught Larvitar and reunited with Pidgeot, I feel that it wouldn't be fair to leave them behind."

"I see," said Oak. "But if that's the casel, you would only three empty spaces. I wonder if that will be enough."

Ash felt a twinge of worry. How many Pokémon would he find in Kalos? Would three team slots be enough? What should he do?

Finally, he shrugged off those thoughts. He'd cross that bridge when he got there.

"I'll figure something out," he said simply.

The old professor thought to himself. He knew there was a simple solution to Ash's problem, though he'd have to see if it could be applied.

"Well, Ash," said Oak. "I wish you luck in your journey through Kalos. And please give my regards to Professor Sycamore!"

"Of course, I will," Ash assure him. "And thanks."

"Pikachu!"

"Have lots of fun, Ash," said Delia. "Make sure to stay safe and eat well. And make Serena the happiest girl in the world."

Ash blushed at this last comment, but smiled anyway.

"Thanks, mom."

Oak and Delia smiled, then pulled Ash and Pikachu into a hug. It lasted only a few seconds, but they savored every moment.

"Okay, then," Ash said as he pulled away. "Me and Pikachu had better get going."

"You have fun, Ash!" said Delia. "Don't forget to call home every once in awhile!"

"Make sure to tell me everything about the Pokémon you find in Kalos!" Oak reminded Ash.

"Okay!" Ash said as he headed towards the gate. "I'll keep in touch! See you soon!"

He then grinned as he walked away.

"Are you ready, Pikachu?" We're going to travel all around Kalos, and this time we'll win the league!"

"Pikapika!"

Ash pumped his fist. "Get ready, Kalos! I'm going to win it all!"

As he walked, an idle thought entered his mind.

 _And I'm going to have a great time with Serena too._

* * *

 _ **A/N: Meanwhile, another Kanto boy with a Pikachu was on his way to start a journey of his own in the Hoenn region. Once he arrived there, he was surprised to meet the daughter of the Petalburg Gym Leader, who he'd met many years prior at a summer camp held by Professor Birch. Traveling with her, along with an adorable young trainer with green hair, they had all sorts of adventures in Hoenn, many of which involved two troublesome organizations with visions of re-creating the world in their own image through the power of super-ancient Pokemon. Eventually, with the help of the Champion, the Sootopolis Gym Leader, and a mysterious woman with a Mega-Evolving Salamence, they became the greatest heroes the region had ever known.**_

 ** _That, however, is a story for another day._**


	12. Welcome to Kalos!

_**A/N: Strap yourself in, folks. The real story begins now.**_

* * *

" _Attention, passengers. We have just landed in Lumiose City. Please remain in your seats until the aircraft has come to a complete stop. Thank you for flying Air Kalos._ "

Ash and Pikachu grinned excitedly as they waited to unboard the plane. They were excited to be in a new region, especially one that was so far away from their native Kanto.

"Can you believe it, Pikachu?" Ash asked excitedly. "We're finally in the Kalos region!"

"Pika!"

"That's right, buddy," said Ash. "We're going to find new Pokémon, new trainers, and all sorts of adventures! And we're going to beat every gym and conquer the Kalos League!"

Pikachu looked up at his trainer with a knowing smirk. Ash blinked as he saw it, then began to blush.

"And… yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing Serena too," he admitted.

"And who might this Serena be?"

Ash jumped as he heard the voice. He then felt something shift in his pocket, and remember the useful but annoying Pokedex he had recently received. He sighed, then pulled the device out.

"What do you want, Rotom?"

"Me? Want something?" Rotom asked innocently. "No, I'm just curious as to who this 'Serena' person is."

"She's a friend," Ash said in an aggravated tone. "I came to Kalos to visit her."

Rotom stared at the raven-haired trainer for a moment, before a mischievous smirk formed on its face.

"Ooh. A frieeeend. Riiiight."

"Stop it!" Ash yelled as his face grew red, partly out of anger, and partly out of embarrassment.

"Okay," said Rotom. "But just be aware that I offer training advice, not dating advice."

"You shut it right now!"

Passengers in the surrounding seats turned to watch Ash, wondering why he was arguing with a Pokedex. Most of them simply brushed it off as some weirdo who argued with machines for no reason. Pikachu groaned as they muttered to themselves.

"Ash and Serena, sitting in a-"

Ash grabbed the Pokedex and stuffed it back into his pocket. Rotom continued to talk incessantly, but the voice was now muffled. Satisfied, Ash unbuckled his seatbelt and stood up. Pikachu ran up onto his shoulder and smiled.

"Okay, buddy," sad Ash. "You ready?"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

Ash nodded, then stood up. He then grabbed his backpack and made his way up the aisle towards the door. With each step, his excitement grew, getting harder to keep in check. Finally, as he reached the doorway, he could no longer keep it contained, and shouted out with all his might.

"Get ready, Kalos! I am Ash Ketchum, and I am going to become a Pokémon Mast-AAAA!"

Ash had been so excited that he hadn't noticed where he was stepping, and he missed the first step. Pikachu managed to jump off just in time, but his trainer was not so lucky; the raven haired boy tumbled down the steps, crying out in pain as he hit himself repeatedly.

"Agh! Ow! Gah! Aiee!"

Finally, he landed at the bottom of the stairs with a thud.

"Oooow," he groaned. His whole body was in pain, and he had no idea whether he was looking up or down. He was also vaguely aware of a pained voice coming from his pocket, though it didn't seem to be much of a concern.

"Pikapi!"

Ash looked up to see Pikachu running down to meet him. He smiled as his faithful partner ran up to him, giving him a big smile.

"Don't worry about me, buddy," he said as he got back to his feet. "I'm just fine."

He gave himself a quick look as he stood up. Nothing seemed to be broken, which was definitely good news. The worst that seemed to have happened was that he got a few scrapes.

"Well, that is definitely one way to make a first impression."

Ash stopped checking himself. He turned around to see who had spoken, and was met by a pair of intense-looking blue eyes. They were complemented by a head of spiky red hair, as well as an equally spiky red beard. The man possessing these impressive features was wearing a black business suit and pants, which were lined with red. He was also wearing black fingerless gloves, black shoes, and a red tie. Finally, his collar was rimmed with white fabric.

Ash couldn't help but shiver at the sight of the man, and he could tell that Pikachu was similarly intimidated.

Then, much to his surprise, the man smiled.

"Ash Ketchum, I presume?"

Ash stared blankly, wondering how the man knew his name. He was then surprised when the man began to chuckle.

"Don't be surprised, boy. Professor Sycamore was informed by Professor Oak that you would be arriving in Kalos today. He's excited to meet you, but he has a busy schedule, so he asked me to bring you to his laboratory. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find you, but since I haven't seen any other boys with a Pikachu, I suppose that fear was unfounded."

Slowly, the uneasiness that Ash had been feeling began to vanish. He gave the man a smile as he stretched out his hand.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, sir."

"Please," the man said as he took Ash's hand. "Call me Lysandre."

As the two humans shook hands, Pikachu watched the newcomer warily. While Ash seemed to no longer be worried, the yellow mouse couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something deeply unsettling about Lysandre. True, Oak would have most likely informed his fellow Professor about Ash. And if the Professor was too busy to come, he would most likely have sent someone else to fetch Ash for him. So that was no reason to be suspicious.

So why did Pikachu feel so uneasy?

"Well then," said Lysandre. "Shall we go?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah! I want to meet Professor Sycamore!"

The red haired man smiled and began to walk away. Ash was about to follow, before he looked down at Pikachu.

"Come on, Pikachu!"

Pikachu sighed. Although he didn't trust Lysandre, he had the feeling that he was at least honest about taking them to see Professor Sycamore. So he hopped onto his trainer's shoulder. Ash smiled, and they began to follow the man.

* * *

Calem led Serena and Shauna through the busy streets of Lumiose. The two girls marveled at the vastness of the city, wishing to see everything it had to offer.

"It's so amazing!" Serena said in awe. "I always knew Lumiose was big, but this is unbelievable!"

"Where should we even begin?" Shauna asked as she grabbed Calem's arm. "Do you have any idea, Senpai?"

Calem laughed a bit at his girlfriend's cheekiness. "Well, before we do anything, the two of you need to pick out your starter Pokémon, don't you?"

"Oh, right," said Shauna. "I already know which starter I'm going to pick!"

She then turned to the other girl.

"What about you, Serena? Do you know which Pokémon you're going to start with?"

"Of course I do," said Serena. "I had a pretty good feeling about which one I'll pick!"

"That's great," said Calem. "Especially since we're already here!"

The two girls looked up at the building in front of them. It was a large building with several floors, with a pair of gates on either side of the entrance. There were plenty of trees and bushes in the entrance, as well as two Pokeball-shaped statues.

"This is so cool!" Shauna said as a grin spread on her face. "I'm finally going to get a Pokémon!"

Seena nodded. "Me too!"

"Well," said Calem, "why don't we go in?"

With this, the black haired boy walked forwards, marching up to the door and opening the door. The two girls followed his lead, walking into the building as Calem held the door.

"Thanks, Senpai!"

As the girls entered, they marveled at how big it was. All around them, there were shelves full of books, as well as various instruments and machines. In addition, there were several corridors, as well as a large staircase.

"Wow," said Serena. "This is pretty amazing."

"Yeah!" Shauna agreed. "I can't wait to meet my Chespin!"

"Oh?" Serena said in surprise. "You're choosing Chespin?"

"Yeah! After all, it was Calem-Senpai's choice, so it's obvious that Chespin is the best!"

At that moment, the group began to hear the sound of footsteps. They looked up and saw a man with messy black hair walking down the stairs. He was wearing a white lab coat over his purple shirt and black pants, and his face was slightly rugged, as if he hadn't shaved in a week. Upon seeing Calem, a smile formed on his face.

"Calem! What a pleasure to see you again!"

"It's good to be back, Professor," said Calem. He then gestured towards the girls. "I'm sure you've heard of Shauna and Serena."

"Of course!" the older man said as he held out his hand. "As you're surely aware, I'm Professor Sycamore. I've been studying the mysteries of Pokémon evolution, and I also help educate young people around the region, and show them the greatness of forming friendship with Pokémon. But most important of all, I give beginners their first Pokémon!"

With that, he turned back to the stairs.

"Alain! Bring the starter Pokémon!"

"Coming!" a voice replied. Soon afterwards, an older teenager walked down the stairs carrying a case. He had a lab coat covering his yellow shirt, blue jeans, and orange hoodie, and he had blue eyes and messy black hair.

"Hey, Professor," he said as he walked down. He then stopped as he noticed Calem, and smiled.

"Hey, Alain," said Calem. "Still working with the Professor?"

The older teen shrugged. "Yeah, I am. I mean, I've been thinking about going on a journey of my own, but right now I'm not sure whether I want to or not."

Alain then grinned at Calem. "Still, you're doing pretty well. I mean, top four in the Silver Conference? That's no small feat!"

"I know, right?" Shauna said excitedly. "I'll bet that Calem-Senpai is going to win the Kalos League this year!"

Alain snorted. " _Calem-Senpai?_ "

Calem's face began to turn red. "Yeah… Alain, Professor, I'm sure you've heard of my girlfriend, Shauna."

"Of course I have," Alain said teasingly. "Although I haven't heard about her calling you _Senpai_."

Realizing that the situation was about to turn awkward, Sycamore decided to interject.

"I have a feeling that Serena and Shauna want to meet their new partners, right?"

"Yes, please!" Shauna said, hoping to save her boyfriend from further embarrassment. "I'm so excited!"

"Me too!" Serena added.

Alain chuckled and opened the case. He'd been thwarted, but he knew he'd get another chance to mess with Calem eventually.

"Professor?"

"Thank you, Alain," Sycamore said as he grabbed three Pokeballs. He then tossed them out, revealing a trio of Pokémon.

"Chespin-pin!"

"Fenn-fenn!"

"...Froakie."

"I'd like you to meet the three starter Pokémon of Kalos," said Sycamore. "Chespin, Fennekin, and-"

"IcalldibsonChespin!"

Before anyone could react, Shauna had grabbed Chespin and was hugging her tightly.

"Oh my gosh! You're even more adorable than I thought you would be!"

Chespin was surprised for a moment, but she quickly smiled and hugged her new trainer back.

"Pin! Chespin!" she cried.

"You know," said Alain, "I think that Chespin is a female."

"Awesome!" Shauna said as her eyes began to sparkle. "I'll call her Chestelle! And then when I become the Kalos Queen, all the trainers in Kalos will talk about how awesome she is!"

 _Kalos Queen?_ Serena wondered to herself. However, she didn't dwell on it too much, as she turned towards Fennekin.

"Hey, Fennekin! I'm Serena! Do you want to go out on an adventure with me?"

Fennekin smiled as her eyes sparkled. She had been dreaming of the day when she'd finally be adopted by a trainer, and now it was finally happening! Excitedly, she jumped into her new trainer's arms and cried out appreciatively.

"Fennekin!"

"That's great!" Serena said happily as she petted Fennekin on the tail. "I'm so excited to travel with you!"

Sycamore smiled as he watched the new trainers interacting with their starters. It warmed his heart to see such friendship between Pokémon and trainers.

"Froakie."

The black haired Professor looked downwards, and was met by the last remaining starter, who was observing the girls playing with their Pokémon with an indifferent look on its face.

"Don't be surprised," he said. "You'll be chosen too one day."

"Froak."

Sycamore frowned. He could tell that this particular Froakie was going to be a handful.

"Return, Froakie," he said as he returned it to its Pokeball. He then placed it in the case.

"You think that Froakie is gonna be okay?" Alain asked as he watched.

Sycamore was about to speak when he door swung open once again. He was then delighted to see his old friend friend walk in.

"Augustine!" Lysandre said as he approached. "I've come back!"

"Lysandre!" Sycamore said happily as he walked towards the red haired man. "Did you have any trouble finding him?"

"Not at all," replied Lysandre. "You can ask him yourself if you want."

He turned backwards to the doorway, where Ash and Pikachu had both entered and were now observing the interior of the laboratory in awe.

"Wow," said Ash. "This is even bigger than Professor Oak's lab."

"Pikaaa."

"Ash!"

Ash was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of the voice. He looked upwards, and was overjoyed to see Serena walking towards him.

"Serena!"

The raven haired boy quickly ran up to her, until they finally closed the gap between themselves.

"You're here!" said Serena.

"Yeah," said Ash. "I'm finally in Kalos."

For a moment, the two old friends said nothing. Meanwhile, Calem, Shauna, and Alain watched with interest.

"So, would anyone mind filling me in on who that kid is?" Alain asked.

"That's Ash Ketchum," said Calem. "He's Serena's childhood friend."

"Ah," said Alain. "Wait… wasn't he your opponent in the Silver Conference? The one who almost beat your Chesnaught?"

" _Almost_ isn't the word I'd use at all."

Meanwhile, Ash had just noticed Serena's new partner.

"So, is this your Pokémon, Serena?"

"Yeah," Serena answered as she held the fire type up. "Say hello to Fennekin!"

"Fennekin!" Fennekin said happily. Pikachu took interest and climbed into Ash's arms to greet her.

"Pikapika!"

"Fenn-Fenn!"

Ash and Serena watched with fascination as their Pokémon chatted with each other. They then looked at each other and smiled.

"I'd say our Pokémon are really hitting it off," said Ash.

"Yeah," said Serena. "They're already friends!"

"That's wonderful," Lysandre said as he approached the two. "It's truly beautiful when Pokémon and humans can get along in harmony like this. If everyone was like you, the world would be so much more beautiful."

He then sighed as he looked away. Ash and Serena, along with their Pokémon, watched him curiously.

"Alas, there are so many selfish people in this world. People who exploit Pokémon for their own purposes. People who take advantage of the selflessness of others in order to further their own ends. If only we could eliminate them all…"

He then looked at the two youngsters with a cheerful smile.

"Forgive me for rambling. I just have many things on my mind."

Ash shrugged. While it had been a bit odd, he could hardly begrudge the man for speaking his mind.

"It's okay, Mister Lysandre."

"Of course," said Serena. "You can do whatever you want."

Fennekin barked happily in approval. Pikachu, on the other hand, watched the man warily. While he couldn't argue with Lysandre about the selfish people of the world, there was just something about him that seemed off. However, he had no time to think about it, as Sycamore began to speak.

"You must be Ash Ketchum. I am so glad that you are here. Professor Oak has spoken quite highly of you."

Ash looked up at the Professor, who had a huge smile on his face.

"It's good to be here, Professor Sycamore. I'm excited to participate in the Kalos League!"

"Pikapika!"

"Well, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor, Ash. The Kalos League is a big challenge, but I'm certain you can win if you set your mind it."

He then turned to look at the other three young trainers, who were now joining in.

"Well, since we're all here, I would like to speak with all of you, particularly in order to discuss one of the most important topics of my research. As you are no doubt aware, I have dedicated my life to the study of Pokémon evolution. And recently, my research into the ancient legends of Kalos has suggested that there may be a secret form of evolution that has been forgotten."

"Yeah," said Ash. "Calem said that you believed that Pokémon that had reached their final evolution could possibly evolve even further."

"Of course," said Sycamore. "It appears that if specific circumstances are met, certain Pokémon who were previously unable to evolve can achieve a new form of evolution. It is known as… Mega Evolution."

"Mega evolution?" Calem asked, his voice full of wonder.

"Indeed," said Sycamore. "And I believe that you all can help me with my research."

Ash's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Sycamore nodded. "Calem, Ash, Alain? Would you please show me your Pokémon?"

Ash nodded, and took out his two Pokeballs. He tossed them out, revealing Pidgeot and Larvitar. Meanwhile, across from him, Calem called forth his Chesnaught, Gyarados, and a short orange Pokémon with a green hump. Finally, Alain called two Pokémon of his own; a Charmander and a strange blue Pokémon with a single red eye and a single leg. It appeared to be made of some sort of metal.

Serena watched them all in awe. Would she ever have such a variety of Pokémon? Would she even be able to handle them all? She briefly glanced at Shauna, and saw her watching with the same interest.

"Amazing!" Sycamore said as he looked around. "What a wonderful variety of Pokémon!"

He then walked over to Ash's Pokémon, observing them closely. As he came close to Larvitar, the little green Pokémon sweatdropped and turned to stone.

"Hmm, a shy one, isn't he?" Sycamore remarked in surprise.

"Sorry," Ash said quickly. "Larvitar has had a rough life."

"I see," Sycamore said before he turned to Pidgeot. He took a look at her, smiling in satisfaction, before turning towards Calem's Pokémon. After a quick look, he smiled and nodded.

"Ash, Calem, your Pokémon are all very well cared for," he said finally. "I can see how you managed to get so far in the Silver Conference."

"Thanks, Professor," said Ash. "My Pokémon are the best partners I could ever ask for."

"Indeed," said Sycamore. "More to the point, however, I am quite certain that all of you have Pokémon that could conceivably achieve mega evolution."

With the exception of Lysandre, everyone gasped. Sycamore watched in amusement, and then pointed to Ash's Pokémon.

"Ash, I believe that your Pidgeot has the potential to mega evolve already. And once your Larvitar reaches its final stage, it too shall be able to mega evolve."

A huge grin formed on Ash's face. "That is so awesome!"

"Indeed," said Sycamore as he turned to Calem and Alain. "Now, I believe that your Gyarados can also mega evolve, Calem, as well as Numel's evolved form. And, of course, both Charmander and Beldum have the same potential if they reach their final stage."

"Cool!" said Calem. "It would be great to have a mega-evolved Pokémon on my team!"

"Yeah," said Alain. "I would love to see a mega-evolved Charizard!"

Lysandre smiled as he watched the enthusiasm of the young trainers. It was clear that they would be very useful in the future.

"Well, as much as I would enjoy talking with all of you, I must take my leave. I have business I must attend to."

He then turned to look directly at Ash.

"Before I leave, however, I must ask, you, Ash. You are new to the Kalos region, are you not?"

Ash blinked in surprise. "Um, yes. Why do you ask?"

The spiky-haired man smiled, and pulled out a device from his pocket.

"Then allow me to give you your very own Holo-Caster," he said as he handed it to Ash. "Everyone in Kalos knows just how essential they are for trainers on the go."

Ash's eyes widened as he took the device in his hands.

"Wow! This is so cool!"

"Indeed," said Lysandre. "It was developed by my company, Lysandre Labs. We make various products to help trainers on their journeys. I'm sure you'd like to get to know it one day."

With that, he turned around and walked towards the door.

"It was nice to meet you all. I hope to speak with all of you in the future."

As the man walked away, Pikachu couldn't help but glare at him. He still didn't know why, but every instinct in his small furry body was telling him that Lysandre was not trustworthy.

Still, that was a problem for another day. Right now he was gone, and Pikachu could relax again.

"Wow, you sure are lucky to get a free Holo-Caster. From Lysandre himself, too!"

Ash turned his head towards the source of the voice, and was met by Sycamore's assistant.

"Yeah," said Ash. "I think it's really cool. I mean, I don't really know how many things it can do, but I think it's gonna be really useful!"

"It definitely is," said Alain. "So, you're Ash Ketchum?"

"That's me," Ash confirmed. "I'm here to compete in the Kalos League!"

"I see," Alain said as he stretched out his hand. "I'm the Professor's assistant, Alain."

"Nice to meet you," Ash said as he shook the older trainer's hand.

"Pikachu!"

"Ooh! A Pikachu!"

Ash turned around, surprised by the voice. There, he was met by a girl with brown skin and green eyes, with a pink shirt with a black bow pattern, short blue shorts, and pink sandals. Her most distinctive feature was her brown hair; it was tied up into four curled pigtails.

"You're such a cutie!" the girl said as she watched the mouse Pokémon. "Not as cute as my little Chestelle, but pretty close!"

"Chespin!"

Ash looked down at her arms and saw a small green Pokémon.

"Is that your starter?" he asked.

"Yup! I always knew that I was going to start with Chespin, just like Calem-Senpai!"

"Calem-Senpai?" Ash repeated, before he looked over to Calem, who was now chuckling nervously.

"Ash, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Shauna."

"Oh," Ash said in understanding, before he stretched out his hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"Hello, Ash!" Shauna said as she shook Ash's hand vigorously. "It's so great to hear that Serena finally reunited with her old camp friend!"

Ash grimaced as she let go of his hand. However, he smiled anyway.

"Yeah, I know. It's so great that we managed to find each other again."

"Indeed it is," said Sycamore, breaking everyone out of their thoughts. "And now that the introductions are out of the way, I have a few things I'd like to discuss with you, Ash.

The raven haired trainer looked at the Professor, curious about what he wanted.

"Yes, Professor?"

"Well," said Sycamore, "firstly, I'd like to ask you if you'd like to consider roster expansion."

"Roster expansion?" Ash asked, his curiosity now piqued.

"Yes," Sycamore explained. "You see, if a trainer has fulfilled certain requirements, they can have the number of Pokémon they can carry with them raised from six to nine. You have participated in two major League Conferences, as well as one minor one, and you've also had several altercations with the criminal organization known as Team Rocket. Furthermore, Professor Oak has highly recommended you for roster expansion, which would absolutely ensure that you can gain a larger party if you wished."

Ash's eyes widened as a grin formed on his face. If he could carry more Pokémon, he'd be able to catch a larger number of new Pokémon without sacrificing space for Pikachu, Pidgeot, or Larvitar! This was perfect!

"Awesome!" he said. "Sign me up!"

Sycamore chuckled. "I knew you'd love the idea. Keep in mind, however, that you're still bound to the maximum number of six Pokémon per battle."

Ash nodded. "I understand, Professor."

"Good," said Sycamore. "Secondly, Professor Oak has told me that he gave you a prototype Pokedex which he claims will revolutionize the design of Pokedexes forever."

Ash and his Pokémon grimaced. They didn't like where the conversation was going.

"I said that it sounded a bit silly," Sycamore continued. "But I told him I'd take a look anyway."

Ash sighed as he reached into his pocket. Before he could pull his device out, it jumped out to face him, causing the other people and Pokémon to gasp.

"Hey, man! Why did you leave me in there for so long?! I need air to breathe!"

"No, you don't," Ash deadpanned. "You just wanted to mess with me again."

"Pikachu!"

"Oh, don't be like that," Rotom said as it gave Ash a fake pout. "You know you love me, right?"

The others watched as the two argued, fascinated by the unique Pokedex. Professor Sycamore in particular was watching with gleaming eyes.

"Unbelievable! So this is your Pokedex, Ash?"

"Yeah," Ash said as he grabbed the Pokedex and presented it to Sycamore. "I have to warn you, it's a little… troublesome."

"I'm not troublesome!" Rotom protested. "You just don't understand my true nature!"

Sycamore chuckled as he took the Pokedex into his hands and began to examine it, fascinated by the design. Ash and Pikachu held their breath, wondering when Rotom would begin to mess with him.

"So, about that Pokedex," said Calem. "Would I be correct in assuming that you got if after that Rotom possessed your old one?"

Ash sighed. "Well, sort of. See, apparently, Professor Oak's cousin had the idea of putting a Rotom into a Pokedex to make it more powerful or something."

"Wait," said Alain. "You mean there's actually a Rotom living in that thing?"

"Well, that would certainly explain its personality," Sycamore said as he handled the Pokedex. "Rotom are infamous for their mischievous nature."

"Aww, you flatter me!" Rotom said at it pretended to blush. Sycamore laughed at this, while Ash and Pikachu simply sighed.

"Well then, Ash. Now that I have your Pokedex, why don't I program in your roster expansion?"

Ash nodded. He was eager to have a party big enough for all the Pokémon he'd catch in Kalos!

"Excellent!" said Sycamore. "Follow me!"

The group returned all Pokémon to their Pokeballs, then began to follow the Professor. As they walked, Ash felt a great feeling of excitement flow through him. His journey in Kalos hadn't even started, but he could already tell that it was going to be one of the best he'd ever taken. And this time, he was going to win the league!

"Ash?"

Surprised, the raven haired trainer looked towards Serena, who had a big smile on her face.

"I'm really glad that you're here."

Ash was stunned for a moment, but he soon smiled right back at her.

"I'm happy to be here too, Serena."

He then looked forwards, doing his best to hide his blushing face. He could tell that Pikachu was snickering, but he paid him no mind.

This was definitely going to be the best journey he'd ever taken.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Well, there we go! Serena and Shauna have their starters, Ash has a new Holo-Caster, and we meet some familiar faces! Most of them seem to be friendly, but Pikachu doesn't trust one of them!**_

 _ **In case you're wondering about the whole roster expansion thing, I felt that, since I made Ash bring along three Pokémon to Kalos instead of just Pikachu, he needed extra space to catch new Pokemon. Therefore, I decided to expand his party a bit. I know it's a somewhat cliché trope in Pokémon fanfiction, but I felt that it was necessary.**_

 _ **Anyway, Sun and Moon come out in just a few days, and I am hyped! Of course, once the game comes out, I might take a while to post another chapter. After all, there's going to be a lot of adventuring for me to do! Also, I want to see if there's anything I could incorporate into the story (I already incorporated the Rotom Pokedex, so who knows what else I'll find interesting.)**_


	13. Back On The Road

Professor Sycamore led the group through the lab. Soon, they reached a room full of various devices, including a large machine that contained a number of Pokedexes in various designs.

"Alright then," said Professor Sycamore. "Let's program your roster expansion!"

Ash, along with the rest of the group, watched as the professor placed the Rotom Pokedex into the machine. He then pressed a few buttons, and the machine began to transfer information into the device.

"Ooh!" Rotom said as its eyes sparkled. "So much information!"

It then began to clutch its head.

"It's… it's… AAAAGH!"

Rotom began to scream, causing everyone else to panic.

"Professor!" Alain yelled. "Turn it off!"

As quickly as he could, Sycamore turned the machine off and pulled Rotom out.

"Rotom!" he said worriedly. "Are you okay?!"

For a moment, the machine hung in the professor's hand unresponsively. Ash watched the scene, worry evident in his eyes. As annoying as the device was, he would hate to see it get injured. Besides, it was the most unique Pokedex in the world.

"Rotom!" Ash yelled. "Please tell us you're not hurt!"

Then, to his shock, Rotom looked up with a cheeky smile on its face.

"Oh, I'm just fine. I just wanted to see the look on your faces."

Everyone else fell over as the Pokedex burst into laughter.

* * *

Sitting at a café located just outside the lab, a disguised Jessie, James, and Meowth observed with great interest. While they had not been told to attack yet, they still had their Pokeballs ready for battle at any time.

"So, this is the famous Professor Sycamore's laboratory?" Jessie asked in a hushed voice.

"It appears so," said James. "I do wonder what sort of research they do here."

"Whatever it is, this 'Team Flare' will probably be wanting to get their hands on whatever it is that they're doing," said Meowth.

"So we'll just have to get to the lab first," said James.

"Not until we're ordered to," said Jessie. "We have our orders, after all."

The team sighed, then went back to their observations. Their interest was piqued slightly when the door opened and a few young trainers emerged. They then felt a collective shiver crawl up their spine when they saw an all-too-familiar face.

"It's the twerp!" Meowth hissed.

"What is he doing here?!" Jessie said in alarm.

"I don't know," said James. "But this could end up becoming a big problem for our Kalos operation!"

The trio groaned. The idea of having to deal with Ash once again was definitely not something they had wanted from their Kalos experience.

"Okay," Jessie said finally. "Let's just inform headquarters and see what they have to say."

"They're probably going to yell at us for being so worried about a boy and his Pikachu," James pointed out.

"Yeah, well, they've never met this Pikachu," said Meowth.

The trio sighed in defeat, then returned to their observations.

* * *

As Ash and Pikachu, walked through the streets of Lumiose with their friends, they marveled at the size of the city. They has seen big cities before, such as Saffron and Goldenrod, but this one seemed to be on an entirely different level.

"This is amazing, Pikachu!" Ash said as he took in the sights. "Can you imagine everything we can do in this city?"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried out in agreement.

"That's true," said Calem. "Lumiose is the biggest city in Kalos, and possibly even the whole world. It has thousands of cafés, shops, entertainment centers, and various other attractions. And, of course, there's the prism tower, which is considered to be the symbol of the entire Kalos region."

As he said that, he pointed to the huge tower that lay at the center of the city, pointing upwards as it gave off light. Ash and Pikachu gazed at it in awe.

"Wow," said Ash. "We don't have anything like that in Kanto."

"Too bad," said Calem. "Prism tower is not just a symbol, though. It also doubles as the Lumiose City Gym."

Ash's eyes immediately lit up. "That's the gym?! Then what are we waiting for?! I wanna win my first badge!"

The raven haired boy began to run off towards the tower. Before he could get anywhere, however, he was grabbed by the collar.

"Jeez, Ash, calm down for a moment," Calem said as he held onto his enthusiastic friend. "I don't think you should challenge the gym just yet."

Ash stared at him in confusion. "Why not?"

"Well, first of all, the Gym Leader is really strong, and so he refuses to battle trainers who don't have at least four badges."

Ash and Pikachu groaned. They had been looking forwards to challenging their first gym.

"Second, you haven't even gotten registered for the Kalos League. You have to do that before you do anything else, don't you think?"

Ash sighed. He knew he couldn't argue with Calem.

"Alright," he said finally. "I guess we should go to the Pokémon Center and then get registered."

Calem chuckled. "Chin up, dude. You'll get a chance to battle soon enough. There's a gym in the nearby City of Santalune. You could go there once you've registered."

Ash grinned in response. "Awesome! That sounds like a perfect plan!"

"Pikapika!"

Serena and Shauna both giggled at Ash's enthusiasm. He was clearly the type of person who just couldn't stand still.

"Speaking of Santalune city," said Shauna, "I hear that they're going to hold a Pokémon Showcase there, so I want to go there too!"

"Don't worry, Shauna," Calem said with a reassuring tone. "Of course we'll go to the Showcase."

"Yay!" Shauna cheered. Ash and Serena, on the other hand, looked at her in confusion.

"What's a Pokémon Showcase?" asked Ash.

"What?!" Shauna gasped. "You mean you've never heard of Pokémon Showcases?"

"It's not that surprising," said Calem. "They're not that common outside of the Kalos region, although they share some similarities with Pokémon Contests held in other regions."

"Pokémon Contests," Ash said thoughtfully. "I've heard of them, but they're not really my thing."

"I understand," said Calem. "A Pokémon Showcase is a female-exclusive competition in which trainers and Pokémon show off their bonds by performing side by side. Trainers who participate in these competitions are called Pokémon Performers."

"Pokémon Performers," Ash repeated. "So, what do they do?"

"Well," said Shauna, "in the first half of a Showcase, they have a theme that all the Performers have to fulfill. The objective can vary, and can include things like dressing up, answering quizzes, and even things like herding Rhyhorn!"

"Wow," Serena said nervously. She knew from experience that she would have dreaded being anywhere near a Rhyhorn.

"The Theme Performance usually takes place in groups of three, and the Performer who best fulfills the theme goes onto the next half," Shauna continued. "The second half is called the Freestyle Performance. There, the Performer and Pokémon must show off their bond by performing together, using their moves and abilities to their fullest extent. Once all the Performers have had their turn, the audience votes on who they thought was the best, and the Performer who gets the most votes wins a Princess Key!"

"A Princess Key?" asked Ash.

"Ya-huh!" Shauna said happily. "See, once a Performer gets three Princess Keys, she can perform in the Master Class Showcase, which happens once a year. And whoever wins the Master Class Showcase wins the title of Kalos Queen!"

"Kalos Queen," Serena muttered to herself. She'd heard Shauna mention the title, but she hadn't known what it meant.

"Becoming the Kalos Queen is the dream of every Pokémon Performer," said Calem. "And that's why Shauna wants to go with me on my journey. She wants to become a Pokémon Performer and win the title of Kalos Queen."

"Yeah!" Shauna said as she grabbed Calem's arm. "And then, when Calem-Senpai becomes the Champion, we'll be famous all around the Kalos region!"

"That we will, Shauna. That we will."

Serena, Ash, and Pikachu all watched the two, impressed not just by how determined they were to achieve their goals, but also how they were determined to do so together. However there were also some very different thoughts going through each one's head.

Serena was thinking about their goals. While she'd never been excited by the prospect of going after Gym Badges and competing in Leagues like Ash or Calem, she had only vaguely heard about Pokémon Showcases in the past. Thus, she'd never really given much thought to the idea of performing in one. Now that she'd heard more about them from Shauna, however, she found herself intrigued by the idea.

Ash, on the other hand, was thinking about Calem and Shauna. While initially surprised to find out that the older trainer had a girlfriend, seeing the two together made him realize how much they fit together; their dreams, while different, complemented each other perfectly, and they both supported each other in their quest to achieve their goals. Furthermore, while Shauna's odd habit of referring to her boyfriend as her "Senpai," Calem did nothing to dissuade her even when he was obviously uncomfortable with it.

Would he and Serena ever have that type of relationship?

Finally, Pikachu was just hoping that Ash would stop messing around and ask Serena out.

* * *

A short while later, the group arrived at the Pokémon Center. Ash and Calem approached the front counter to register for the Pokémon League.

"Good evening!" Nurse Joy greeted them. "Welcome to the Pokémon Center!"

"Hello, Nurse Joy," said Calem. "I'd like to sign up for the Pokémon League."

"And I want to do so too," said Ash.

"Pika!"

"Very well," said Nurse Joy. "May I see your Pokedexes?"

Calem took out his Pokedex and handed it over without a second's hesitation. Ash, however, took a moment to look at his with a glare on his face.

"Don't even think about pulling a prank on Nurse Joy."

"Oh, Ash," Rotom said innocently. "Whatever could you be talking about?"

Ash glared at the device. "Something like you did with Professor Sycamore?"

Rotom rolled its eyes. "Jeez, fine. I won't mess with her."

With that, Ash passed it over to Joy, who raised an eyebrow at the peculiar device.

"Aren't I just the cutest thing ever?" Rotom asked with Lillipup eyes. Nurse Joy simply rolled her eyes at the display, and then placed it into a machine.

"Ooh, sparkly!" Rotom said as information began to course into it. Ash and Pikachu watched closely, wary of any mischief from the possessed Pokedex. Fortunately, Rotom behaved itself until the process was completed, and then floated back to its owner.

"Congratulations, Ash and Calem. You are now registered for the Pokémon League."

"Great!" said Calem. "We're all set, then!"

"Yeah!" said Ash. "I can't wait to get my first Kalos Badge!"

Meanwhile, behind them, Shauna and Serena were watching with fascination.

"Isn't it amazing how fired up those two get over battling?" said Shauna. "I mean, I'd be really excited too if it was about performing, so I guess I'd be like them if I was getting ready for a Showcase."

Serena turned to Shauna, thinking deeply about her words. Unlike the other three trainers, she didn't have anything she could be enthusiastic about. However, hearing from the brown haired girl had given her something to think about.

"Hey, Shauna?"

Shauna gave Serena a quizzical look. "What's up, Serena?"

"What was it that drew you to Pokémon Performing?"

Shauna looked upwards as she remembered her first time watching a Showcase on television a long time ago.

"Well, ever since I watched one for the first time, I've always been captivated by the way performers show off the bond between themselves and their Pokemon. Not to mention, I love how they work to make the audience happy. It's not just for their own glory that they put on their shows, but also to help bring joy to the people who watch their shows. It's really inspiring, to be honest."

Serena watched her friend in awe. "So, you want to do the same?"

"Yep! I want to become a Pokemon Performer because I want to help other people smile!"

The honey-blonde girl considered what her friend had told her; In a way, Shauna's dream wasn't so much to become a great performer, but to bring joy and happiness to everyone around her.

Could she ever do that?

* * *

The next day, the small group made their way out of the city and out onto Route 4. From there it was a rather close distance to Santalune City, where the first gym was located.

"Here we go, Pikachu," said Ash. "Now our journey really begins."

"Pikachu!"

"This is exciting!" said Shauna. "I'm finally going to start making lots of Pokémon friends!"

Serena smiled as well. "I'm excited too, Shauna. I'd love to find some Pokémon to travel with me and Fennekin."

"Yeah," said Calem. "There's nothing quite like traveling with Pokémon. It's the best way to meet new people, travel to new places, and grow as a person."

As the group walked along the road, they heard the sound of rustling in a nearby bush. Curious, Shauna wandered over to it and began to look through it.

Then, to her surprise, a tiny white Pokémon carrying an orange flower popped out.

"Flabébé!"

"Oh my gosh! It's so cute!"

As the rest of the group reached her, they all looked at the small being with great interest.

"I've never seen this Pokémon before," said Ash.

"It's a Flabébé," Calem explained. "It's a Pokémon native to the Kalos region."

"Flabébé, huh?" said Ash. He then pulled out his Pokedex.

" _Flabébé, the Single Bloom Pokémon. Flabébé chooses a favorite flower at the beginning of its life and takes care of it from then on._ Which means that Flabébé that can't care for their flowers suuuuck!"

Ignoring Rotom's snarky comments, Ash looked over the Pokedex image. There were five different Flabébé images, one of which was similar to the one in front of them. The other four, on the other hand, had red, blue, yellow, and white flowers.

"They all have different flowers," Ash commented.

"Pika."

"Not really," said Rotom. "Apart from the colors of their flowers, there isn't much difference in them."

"I wanna catch it!" said Shauna. "Can you help me, Senpai?"

Calem chuckled at her eagerness. "Okay, then. First off, you need to battle it with your own Pokémon."

Shauna nodded, and pulled out her Pokeball.

"Okay then! Come on out, Chestelle!"

With a flash of light, Shauna's starter Pokémon popped out. She cried out happily before she noticed the being floating before her.

"Chestelle!" said Shauna. "We're going to add that Flabébé to our team!"

"Chespin!"

Calem smiled as Shauna and Chestelle got ready to fight. So far so good.

"Remember to take its health down before you toss your Pokeball."

"Got it!" said Shauna. "Chestelle! Use Vine Whip!"

Chestelle whipped out her vines and shot them towards her opponent. But the little Pokémon countered by unleashing a gust of wind which struck Chestelle.

"Don't give up, Chestelle! Tackle!"

Chestelle ran towards Flabébé, smacking into it with as much force as she could. The Single Bloom Pokémon countered with another gust of wind.

"Grab it with your vines!" Shauna yelled.

"Ches! Chespin!" Chestelle replied as she wrapped her vines around Flabébé. She then threw it down into the floor.

"Flabébé!"

Shauna watched with amazement. What should she do now? Fortunately, as if noticing her hesitation, Calem decided to speak.

"Shauna! Now would be a good time to throw your Pokeball!"

"Got it!" Shauna said as she pulled out an empty Pokeball. "Pokeball go!"

The ball collided with the Single Bloom Pokémon, absorbing it in with a flash of light. The group watched in anticipation as the ball wiggled around, before it finally gave off a flash of light, causing Shauna to blink in surprise.

"Did… did it work?"

"It did," said Calem. "You caught Flabébé!"

Shauna looked down at Chestelle, who seemed to be as surprised as her. Then, both trainer and Pokémon smiled at each other.

"Chestelle! We did it! We caught our first friend!"

The Spiny Nut Pokémon jumped up and down in celebration as her trainer picked up the Pokeball.

"That was amazing, Shauna!" Serena said as she approached her friend. "I don't know if I could have done as well as you did!"

"Oh, don't worry," said Shauna. "I'm sure you'll find a Pokémon you can catch soon. And it will be great!"

"I hope so," Serena said with a smile. "I wonder what kind of Pokémon I'll find."

Ash smiled as he watched the two girls discussing their Pokémon. He knew that Serena would be able to find a good Pokémon for her team eventually.

* * *

That night, the four sat around a campfire. Shauna had just let her new Flabébé out of her Pokeball, and was now getting to know her better.

"So, my dream is to be a great Pokémon Performer and become the next Kalos Queen. So, what do you say?"

"Bébé!" the Single Bloom Pokémon cried happily. She liked the idea of performing with the girl and her Chespin. Plus, it would be nice to make others happy.

"That's great! We're going to be great together!"

With that, Shauna stretched out her hand. Chestelle placed her paw on to of Shauna's hand, and Flabébé did the same.

"Now, how about I give you a nickname? I'm thinking something like… Flora!"

The little Pokémon nodded in approval, causing Shauna to grin.

"Sweet! Flora it is, then!"

As the brown haired girl had fun with her Pokémon, Ash, Pikachu, and Serena watched with interest.

"It's so great that Shauna's having so much fun with her Pokémon, even if they're just met," said Serena.

"Don't be surprised," said Ash. "Pokémon and people are made for each other. Before you know it, you and Fennekin will be inseparable. The same goes for all the Pokémon you have."

Serena looked down at her own Pokeball. She wondered if she could really have such a great bond with her Pokémon.

"Why don't you let Fennekin out for a while?" Ash suggested. "It'll be a great opportunity to bond together, don't you think?"

The honey-blonde haired girl looked at Ash in surprise. After a moment, however, she smiled and nodded.

"Okay!" she said as she toss the Pokeball into the air. "Fennekin, come on out!"

With a flash of light, her starter emerged from her Pokeball and landed next to her.

"Fenn!" she said happily.

"Hello, Fennekin," said Serena. "Aren't you excited to be out on the road with us?"

"Fennekin!"

Ash smiled as he watched the two playing together. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out his Pokedex.

"Hello, Ashy-boy. How can I help you tonight?"

Ash rolled his eyes. "Just scan Fennekin, please."

"As you wish, _master_ ," Rotom said mockingly. He then pointed himself at the yellow canid and began to speak.

" _Fennekin, the Fox Pokémon. Fennekin expels hot air that can reach nearly 400 degrees. It likes to snack on twigs_ , which must be really bad for the stomach!"

The raven haired boy groaned as he took hold of Rotom and turned it towards Chestelle.

" _Chespin, the Spiny Nut Pokémon. Chespin can flex the soft spikes on its head, making them so stiff and sharp that it can even pierce through stone._ Which means that its head is both a needle _and_ a haystack!"

"Thanks, Rotom," Ash said as he shoved the device back into his pocket. Pikachu couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

"Wow, that Pokedex can be a bit annoying," said Calem.

"Eh, I've had worse," said Ash. He then gave off a yawn.

"Something tells me that we should call it a night," said Calem. "It's getting pretty late, after all. And if we get up early enough, we should be in Santalune City by noon."

"Sounds good to me," said Shauna. "I'm excited to get to Santalune. I want to see that Showcase!"

Serena sighed. She still wasn't sure about the whole idea of "roughing it," as Calem and Shauna put it. But after they had pointed out that it was extremely common for trainers on the road to not arrive at towns for several days on end, she'd resigned herself and packed a sleeping bag.

"Are you okay, Serena?" Ash asked with concern.

The honey-blonde haired girl looked up at her childhood friend and smiled.

"I'm just fine, Ash. It's just that I've never slept outside before."

"Hey, don't let it bug you," said Ash. "I've spent a lot of time sleeping out in the open? It's not that bad, really."

"Pikachu!"

"Yeah," said Calem. "It's even kind of fun."

"And we're all be sleeping out in the open," Shauna added, "so it's not like you're the only one having that problem!"

Serena smiled happily. "Thanks, guys. I guess it's just something I've never done before."

The trainers smiled at each other, then made their way to their sleeping bags. After a bit of moving around, each person was snugly inside their bag.

"Hmm," said Serena. "This isn't so bad."

"Fennekin," her starter said in agreement.

The young trainer smiled as she petted the Fox Pokémon. She had to say, she was looking forward to having her first adventure. And she was particularly happy that she'd be having said adventure with one of her closest friends.

Unbeknownst to her, said friend was watching her from his own bag. He couldn't help but smile as he watched her snuggling with her partner. As he scratched behind Pikachu's ears, he silently thought about how lucky he felt.

Before he went to sleep, however, there was one last thing he wanted to do.

Making sure not to disturb anyone else, he pulled out the Holo-Caster that Lysandre had given him. He then dialed in a familiar number and waited for the response.

Finally, after a few seconds of waiting, the face of his mother appeared as a hologram in front of him.

"Ash? Is that you?"

Ash smiled. "Hey mom."

* * *

 _ **A/N: So, I managed to pull myself away from Pokémon Sun long enough to write up another chapter! I have to say, the game is pretty awesome!**_

 _ **Next time: The group reaches Santalune, and Ash gains a new rival! Who, you ask? You'll just have to wait and see!**_


	14. Not Strong Enough

Rotom yawned as the light hit its eyes. It slowly lifted itself off the ground and looked around.

"Such a nice morning. So much to do today!"

It then looked downwards to see that the rest of the group was still asleep. A mischievous smirk formed on the possessed Pokédex's face.

"Okay. Testing alarm clock app in three, two…"

It then screamed at the top of its electronic lungs.

" **WAKE UUUPPP!** "

The four hapless trainers and their Pokémon shot up out of their sleeping bags.

"What was that?!" Calem yelled as he looked all around.

"Who's there?!" Ash yelled in confusion. Before he could do anything else, he was hit by a shocked Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

"What's going on?!" Shauna shouted as she rubbed her ears.

"Where are we?!" Serena cried out as she got to her feet.

Finally, the dazed and confused trainers heard a recognizable laugh. They looked up and were annoyed to see the Rotom Pokédex rolling in the air as it watched them.

"You, my friends, are so much fun to mess with! I mean, don't get me wrong. I've met a lot of people who freak out at the littlest things. But when you spend some time with people and get to know them-"

Rotom was shut up when Ash threw a rock at it, causing it to fall back down to earth.

* * *

Santalune City was a rather modest sized city. Many of the roads and buildings were made of brick, and were surrounded by flower bushes that were tended to with tender care. Some of the popular landmarks in the city included the well-known Trainers' School, as well as a boutique that, curiously enough, sold nothing but hats.

These were not on Ash's mind as he walked through the city. His thoughts were currently focused on finding the Gym.

"Where is the Gym?" he asked to no one in particular.

"Come on, Ash," said Calem. "There's more to life than just battling, you know."

"Pikapi."

"Yeah," Ash said with a shrug. "Still, I'd like to get a battle in sooner or later."

"Relax, Ash," said Serena. "We'll find the Gym if we just keep looking."

"I could lead you straight to the Gym if you just let me out!" Rotom said from inside Ash's pocket.

Ash rolled his eyes as he pulled the Pokédex out.

"And you can guarantee us that you'll lead us to the Gym, and not to some old abandoned warehouse or something?"

"Hey, my navigation system is top quality, so don't go around insulting me," said Rotom.

"Well, the system may be good, but the navigator is what worries me," muttered Serena.

"Look," said Rotom. "I can guarantee you that I will lead you right to the Gym in… let's say around ten minutes."

Ash raised an eyebrow. Could Rotom really lead them?

"Okay, then," he said finally. "Why don't you lead the way if you're so confident?"

Rotom grinned. "Awesome! Now follow me!"

The device floated through the air as it headed for its destination, with Ash and Pikachu following it with skeptical looks on their faces. Calem looked towards the girls, who shrugged and began to follow Ash. Figuring that there wasn't much he could do in this situation, Calem decided to go along with them.

* * *

"Here we are! Santalune Gym!"

Ash, Pikachu, and the rest of the group grinned as they looked at the building. They then turned to Rotom.

"Okay, now you actually managed to impress me," said Ash. "So, if you can give us directions, then what else can you do?'

"Oh, I have many functions," said Rotom. "Maybe I could show you after you get your badge?"

"That would be interesting," said Serena. "Just as long as you don't decide to go and randomly mess with us like you do sometimes."

Ash rolled his eyes, and then made his way into the Gym. The others smiled and followed him.

The interior of the building was full of photographs of various Pokémon, most of which seemed to be of the bug type. Ash recognized a few of them, such as a Butterfree, Beedrill, and Ariados. However, there were several others that he did not. He kept admiring them as he walked through the hall, impressed by the quality of the pictures.

"Whoever took all these pictures clearly is a master photographer," said Calem. "These are all very well done."

"Yeah," said Serena. "I wonder why they're all here in the Gym, though."

"You think the Gym Leader like to take pictures?" Shauna asked.

"Could be," said Ash. "They'd probably enjoy having a hobby."

Finally, at the end of the hall, the group saw a bright light. It got bright as they walked towards it, wondering what awaited them at the end.

As they walked through the doorway, they stared in awe. The room around them looked like a greenhouse; the ceiling was made of glass, letting the sun's rays enter freely onto the battlefield below. There were trees and bushes all around the field, giving it the feeling of a clearing in the woods. And the field itself was spacious enough for any Pokémon battle that may have taken place.

On the note, Ash noticed that there was indeed a battle currently taking place.

"Look!" he said as he pointed in the direction of the battlefield.

"Oh wow!" Shauna said enthusiastically. "A Gym battle!"

The group made their way to the sidelines to watch the battle. On one side was a young woman with sandy blonde hair and green eyes. She was wearing a white sleeveless shirt and green pants that reached down just below her knees. Most notable, however, was the camera that she was carrying.

"I knew it!" Shauna said as she pumped her fist. "The Gym Leader took all those pictures!"

"Looks like she did," said Calem.

Ash was too interested in the battle to take much note of that, however, so he turned his attention to the second battler. He was a boy around Ash's age, with light blond hair which partly covered up his right eye. He was dressed in a black hoodie and black pants, which seemed to be badly ripped in several areas. The only other color he wore was red, which was most prominent in his shoes, pouch, and an undershirt which was only visible through a particularly big rip in his hoodie. He was also holding a peculiar pose in which he held up his left arm with clenched fingers while supporting it with his right arm. However, what caught Ash's attention the most was his eyes; they were bright green, and seemed to be gazing upon the battle with great intensity.

Ash couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

Trying to ignore the trainer's eyes, he looked around for something to distract him. To his surprise, he saw a second person standing behind the boy; a girl who appeared to be the same age as him. She had the same blond hair and green eyes as the boy, but hers were far less intense, and instead had a soft, almost worried, expression. In stark contrast to the boy, she was dressed entirely in white, with her dress, hat, stockings, and shoes all bright white. Finally, she was carrying a large bag with a Pokeball print.

For a brief moment, her eyes and Ash's met. The girl's eyes went wide, and then she turned around, deliberately looking anywhere but him.

Confused by her reaction, Ash decided to focus on the Pokémon battling. The Leader was using a Pokémon with a small black body, with large wings that were a bright pink color. Meanwhile, the challenger was using a familiar Pokémon with a blue body, purple wings, and a large mouth with sharp fangs.

Curious about the Leader's Pokémon, Ash gestured to Rotom, who nodded and turned to scan it.

" _Vivillon, the Scale Pokémon. Vivillon scatters colorful scales. The patterns on Vivillon's wings are affected by the climate of their habitat._ Fun fact: this makes them extremely collectible! Get yours today!"

Rotom then turned to Zubat and scanned it as well.

" _Zubat, the Bat Pokémon. Zubat dislikes sunlight, so it lives in caves._ And it can be found _everywhere_ _._ Seriously, when you're walking through a cave, you literally can't toss a rock without smacking a Zubat out of the air!"

Ignoring Rotom's snark, Ash looked out onto the battlefield, where Zubat was attempting to attack the Vivillon. To his surprise, however, Vivillon managed to dodge, then its eyes began to glow. Zubat was then caught in a blue aura, and began to scream in pain.

"No!" the boy yelled. "Zubat! Break out of it!"

"Slam it against the ground!"

Vivillon's eyes glowed once more, and it flung Zubat downwards. The Bat Pokémon crashed into the ground, crying out in pain before it finally fainted.

"Zubat is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Vivillon wins!"

The challenger gritted his teeth as he returned Zubat to its Pokeball. He then sighed as he pulled out another ball.

"I'm sorry about this, partner," he said quietly as he lifted the ball. "I know you've only just begun, but I need you to lend me your strength now. I have to be strong!"

He then flung the Pokeball onto the battlefield.

"Type: Null! You're up!"

The ball burst open with a flash of light. Ash covered his eyes for a moment, wondering what Pokémon the trainer was using.

He then gasped at what he saw.

The Pokémon was unlike anything he had ever seen. If anything, it seemed as if someone had found spare parts from various Pokémon, stitched them together, and then somehow infused the result with life. The front limbs resembled the talons of a flying-type, while the back limbs seemed to belong to a normal-type. The tail almost resembled a water-type Pokémon's fins, and what seemed like a wing was sticking out of its head. Its neck was covered by a mane of gray fur. The strangest feature, however, was the strange brown helmet which was covering its entire head.

"What the heck is that?!" Calem asked in shock.

"Gimmie a sec," Rotom said as it turned to the mysterious Pokémon. For a moment, it scanned it, searching for information.

"Well?" asked Ash.

Rotom continued to scan, with a look of confusion appearing on its face. Finally, it sighed and put its arms down and sighed.

"I got nothing."

Serena raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, 'you got nothing?!'"

"I don't know what that Pokémon is!" Rotom said adamantly.

"Why?!" Shauna demanded. "Aren't you supposed to know all about Pokémon?!"

"Look!" said Rotom. "Just because I'm the most awesome Pokedex ever designed doesn't mean I know everything about every single Pokémon ever discovered, okay?! And let's be honest: have you ever seen anything like this?!"

The group looked at each other in surprise, then shrugged.

"Eh, I guess not," said Ash.

Meanwhile, back on the battlefield, Vivillon was now fighting the mystery Pokémon.

"Vivillon! Use Sleep Powder!"

"Null! Dodge it and use Tackle!"

The strange Pokémon barely managed to get out of the way of the Sleep Powder, then rushed towards its opponent. However, it was clear that it was much slower than its opponent.

"Vivillon! Get out of the way!"

With a flap of its wings, Vivillon was able to dodge. Type: Null grunted as it slipped and fell, with the Scale Pokémon preparing to launch another attack.

"Vivillon! Use Sleep Powder again!"

The bug type blasted out a cloud of blue powder. This time, it hit its target head on, and the effects quickly began to take hold; the strange Pokémon began to stumble as its eyes drooped.

"Nuuuullll…"

"Snap out of it, Null!" the challenger yelled. "Hit it with Crush Claw!"

"Don't give it that chance!" the Leader commanded. "Finish it off with Solarbeam!"

Vivillon began to collect solar energy from above. Meanwhile, Type: Null struggled to get back to its feet, groaning as it fought off the effects of the Sleep Powder.

"Come on, Null!" its trainer cried desperately. "Attack it!"

Finally, the mysterious Pokémon began to rush towards its opponent with glowing claws. Then, it managed to slash Vivillon with its claws. However, just as it struck, the Scale Pokémon managed to unleash its attack, hitting the Synthetic Pokémon at point-blank range.

"NULL!" the trainer cried out.

A huge cloud of smoke took over the arena, covering everything. For a moment, both the Leader and the challenger held their breath, hoping that their Pokémon were still standing. As the smoke cleared, however, both Pokémon were revealed to be lying on the floor, defeated.

"Both Pokemon are unable to battle!" the referee declared. "This match is a tie between Leader Viola and Gladion the challenger!

The trainer in black rushed onto the arena towards his Pokémon. He then gently petted Type: Null's body.

"I… I'm sorry, Null."

As he returned his partner to its Pokeball, he looked up to see Viola approaching him. She stretched out her hand, presenting him with a green badge.

"Well, you may not have beaten me, but you've proven to be a strong opponent. I think you deserve the Bug Badge."

"No I don't."

This statement caught everyone off guard. Ash shook his head in shock, then looked at his friends for a moment.

"Did… I hear that right?"

"Pikachuuu?"

"I'm not sure," said Calem. "But I think that guy has issues."

They then looked back onto the field, where Gladion was shaking as he stared at the ground.

"I wasn't strong enough to win this match! And I need to be strong! I have to be strong enough to protect… strong enough to… strong…"

"Gladion…" the girl in white said as she approached him from behind.

Then, to everyone's surprise, Gladion snatched the Bug Badge and walked off. His companion groaned as she followed him.

"Gladion!"

Ash watched in shock, hardly able to comprehend what he was seeing.

"Wow," said Shauna. "That guy's definitely got issues!"

Ash nodded as he looked towards the door. Even though he wanted to get his Badge, he couldn't let the guy just leave like that.

"Hey, Ash?" Calem asked. "You want to get your Badge now?"

"You go ahead," said Ash. "I have to go see what that guy's deal is."

With that, Ash ran off in pursuit of the boy, with Pikachu and Rotom following closely.

* * *

 _Where is he?…_ Ash wondered as he walked through the streets. He wouldn't be able to relax until he found out what Gladion's problem was.

"Jeez, what's gotten into you?" asked Rotom. "I mean, are you seriously going to go look for the guy who clearly has some sort of problem with not being strong enough to win even when he manages to obtain a badge?"

Pikachu began to explain how Ash's selflessness never let him rest if he felt there was someone that needed help. And the blond trainer's actions seemed to indicate that such was the case with him.

"Uh huh," said Rotom. "So, our fearless leader is some sort of superhero?"

"Chu…" said Pika. He wouldn't have put it like that, but it was an accurate term.

"Sorry, guys," said Ash. "It's just… I don't understand why he was acting so weird! I mean, even if he didn't win, he should have been happy that he won the badge, not get angry about how he wasn't strong enough to win!

"Okay, I get it," said Rotom. "But how do you plan on finding that guy? I mean, he could be anywhere! Do you really think we're just going to randomly bump into him?

As if on cue, an angry voice rang through the area.

"And you know why I need to be stronger than this!"

Shocked, Ash rushed around the corner of the nearest building to see the trainer in black, who was facing the girl in white. They appeared to be in some sort of argument, which was clear from the glares the two were giving each other.

"And I'm telling you that you're going about this the wrong way!" the girl yelled. "You're pushing yourself and your Pokémon way too hard! If you want-"

"Don't act like you know better, Lillie," Gladion snapped. "What do you know about training Pokémon?! You don't even have the guts to battle!"

"Just because I don't like to see Pokémon get hurt doesn't mean I don't know how battles work!" Lillie countered. "And I can tell that you will never be able to bring out Null's strength like that!"

" _You will never be able to bring out Null's strength like that,_ " Gladion repeated mockingly. "And I'm guessing you'll be able to protect Nebby all by yourself, huh?"

"Why you-"

"Hey!"

Shocked by the sudden voice, the two momentarily stopped arguing and turned towards Ash, who's determined expression suddenly vanished and was replaced by a more uneasy one.

"Uhh… hi?"

Gladion strode right towards Ash and grabbed him by the collar. Pikachu and Rotom gasped and prepared to defend their friend, but the blond trainer payed them no mind.

"You! You were watching me and Lillie at the Gym! Are you following us?! Who sent you?!"

"Gladion!" Lillie yelled.

"What?!" Ash said in confusion. "No one sent me! I just wanted to challenge the gym, and you just happened to be there!"

Gladion didn't let go, but his grip seemed to weaken a little.

"Then why did you follow us?!" he demanded.

Ash swallowed nervously. "I just… wanted to see if you were okay."

Finally, the angry trainer let go of Ash. He then turned around and began to walk away.

"I don't need any help! Especially not from some trainer I don't even know!"

"Gladion!" Lillie yelled again. She then quickly turned to Ash.

"I'm so s-sorry about that. I k-know my brother acts like a jerk, but d-deep down he's really nice and caring. He j-just… doesn't k-know how to show it."

With that, she took a short bow, and turned around to chase after Gladion. Ash watched as she left, utterly dumbfounded by the experience.

"Well… that happened."

Ash looked towards his Pokedex, which had a baffled expression look on its face. Pikachu also seemed to be confused, as he was just staring at the space in front of them blankly.

"I know," said Ash. "Hopefully, we can find out more about those two the next time we meet them."

"Do you really think we're going to see them again?" Rotom asked. "I mean, we were lucky to run into them just now."

Ash narrowed his eyes. Somehow, he didn't feel it was just luck.

"I _know_ we're going to see them again."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Shout out to Jibanyan with Komasan, for successfully guessing the identity of Ash's new rival. Also, I must agree that Gladion is the best rival ever.**_

 _ **So, Gladion and Lillie are in Kalos. What could have driven them to journey so far from Alola?**_

 _ **Also, Rotom is right. Caves are infested with Zubat.**_

 _ **Anyway, next chapter Serena gets a taste of the Pokémon Showcase, and Calem and Shauna depart from the group. (You didn't think they were going to be permanent travel buddies for Ash, did you?)**_


	15. Long Live The Queen

The group sat together at the Pokémon Center's cafeteria, eating their breakfast. While most of the trainers and Pokémon were eating happily, Ash was picking at his plate with his fork while he stared off into the distance. He had a lot on his mind after the meeting with Gladion and Lillie.

He wanted to figure out just why not winning the battle had affected Gladion so much. But what could he do? After all, the trainer in black had left long before Ash could say anything meaningful, and he doubted he'd be more willing to listen the next time around. Maybe he'd listen if Ash defeated him in a Pokémon battle. But what if Ash lost?

Well, obviously Ash would have to win.

"Don't let that guy get to you, Ash."

Ash looked up towards Serena and saw the caring smile on her face. As much as he wanted to still be worried about Gladion, he realized that he simply couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Yeah… you're right, Serena. I'm getting all worked up over that guy when I don't even know him."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried out, briefly forgetting about his bottle of ketchup.

"Yeah!" Shauna piped in. "And you can always find him later and beat him in a Pokémon battle to show him who's the best!"

Everyone else began to laugh at this. As Ash laughed, he realized that they were right; it wasn't worth worrying about Gladion if he didn't even know where he'd gone off to.

He then realized just how hungry he was.

"Wow, I'm starving!" he said as he dug into his pancakes. He shoved them down his throat so quickly that one would have sworn he was part Snorlax. He then grabbed his glass of Moomoo Milk and gulped it down. As he finished his breakfast off, he looked around with a smile on his face.

"So, what are we doing today?"

The others stared at him in shock. Ash had an appetite the likes of which they'd never seen before. Calem managed to compose himself after a moment, however, and began to speak.

"Well, the Pokémon Showcase is today, so Shauna and I were planning on going to watch."

"You two should come too!" Shauna added. "It'll be fun!"

Ash considered the offer for a moment. To be honest, he had no real interest in watching any performances. But it was nice of Calem and Shauna to let him and Serena tag along. Plus, maybe Serena would enjoy watching the Showcase.

"I'd love to go!"

Ash was snapped out of his thoughts when Serena spoke. He turned his head and saw her giving him a pleading look.

"Ash! Please come with us too!"

Those eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes. They were all the convincing Ash needed.

"Sure, why not."

"Awesome!" Serena said with a smile. "This is going to be fun!"

The raven haired boy smiled at his childhood friend's enthusiasm. Even if he wasn't particularly excited about the Showcase, he was willing to go if it made her happy.

* * *

Some time later, the group gathered at the Showcase theater. It was a large building with several large photographs of various Performers on the walls. Already there was a sizable crowd gathering at the entrance, even though the show didn't begin until later.

"Wow," Ash said as he looked around. "These Showcases must be really popular."

"Pikaaa," Pikachu said in agreement.

Ash could have sworn he heard the muffled voice of Rotom saying something about ladies, but he chose to ignore it. He then looked towards Shauna, who had a huge grin plastered on her face.

"This is so awesome! I'm finally going to see a live Pokémon Showcase!"

"I have to say, it's not an opportunity that comes along very often if you're not traveling," said Calem. "You have to go on a journey to get a real Showcase experience."

"I see," Serena said, still in thought. In the past, she hadn't considered performing as a possible career. Now, however, she had to admit that her curiosity was being piqued by the idea. Even so, she didn't want to rush into a decision without learning more about the Showcase.

"Well, let's go check it out," said Ash. "I mean, it sounds interesting!"

"Pikapika!"

Serena smiled and nodded. "Yeah! I want to learn more about Pokémon Performers!"

Shauna grinned. "Awesome! Let's go!"

The four young trainers grinned, and then made their way into the hall.

* * *

The interior of the hall was absolutely packed. Hundreds of people were eagerly awaiting the start of the performance. The four were fortunate enough to be sitting near the front, where they could see every detail of the performances that would take place soon enough.

"Oh my gosh!" Shauna said with a huge grin on her face. "It's so exciting! I've been waiting for so long!"

"Are Showcases that much fun to watch?" Ash asked in curiosity.

"Definitely," said Calem. "I mean, Shauna enjoys them a lot more than me, obviously, but they're always a lot of fun to watch."

Serena listened to the conversation with great interest. If the Pokémon Showcase was as popular as it seemed to be, then there would undoubtedly be several other girls who would want to perform. Thus, it would be difficult to really become visible with so much competition.

And yet… what did she have to lose by trying?

She was then broken out of her thoughts when a voice began to speak.

"Welcome, everyone!"

Serena looked up towards the stage to see a tall man with blonde hair, a pointy beard, fancy blue clothes, and a blue top hat. He spun a cane around as he spoke.

"I am Monsieur Pierre," the man said in a fancy old Kalosian accent. "And it is my honor to present to you ze Santalune City Rookie Class Performance!"

The crowd cheered as the man twirled his cane.

"I am certain zhat you are all very eager to see ze many talented young ladies who shall perform today," said Pierre. "But before we do, we have a very special surprise for you all!"

Shauna's eyes widened. "A surprise? Does he mean-"

"Today we shall start off with a performance from our very own Kalos Queen!"

The entire crowd erupted into cheers. Shauna cried out excitedly as she bounced in her seat, while Serena gasped in surprise.

"Omigosh omigosh omigosh!" said Shauna.

"The Kalos Queen is here?" asked Serena.

Pierre chuckled as he looked up towards the excited crowd. He then turned to look at the stage, where a huge hole was opening as a pair of figures began to emerge.

"And now, without furzher ado, we present to you… ze one… zhe only… Lisia!"

With that, a large mass of what resembled cotton blasted out of the hole; upon closer inspection, however, it was revealed to be a Pokémon. It had two large wings that seemed to be made of cotton, a birdlike head with two long feathers and a long blue neck, and a pair of small blue feet. On its head was a sort of hairclip with a curious white stone.

What was more amazing, however, was the trainer riding the Pokémon.

She had light green hair which sprouted out in three directions; one long strip on her right, a shorter one on her left, and one sprouting off the top of her head. Her hair also matched her eyes, which were a similar green color. She was wearing a bright blue sleeveless shirt which showed off her midriff, as well as a short pair of light blue shorts with a short, flared out tutu attached, and cotton-like fluff which covered her wrists and ankles. She had a pair of blue boots, and a single blue stocking on her left leg. Finally, she was wearing a hairclip which closely resembled the one on her Pokémon.

"Okay, Ali! Let's give 'em a show they'll never forget!"

With that, her Pokémon took off and begun to spin into the air as he unleashed a flurry of cotton all around. The fluff began to collect in several places, forming a number of cloudlike structures.

"Way to go, Ali!" Lisia cheered. "You know what to do now!"

A ball of frigid energy formed in Ali's beak, and it unleashed a stream of ice towards the nearest cotton clouds. Then, to everyone's surprise, Lisia jumped off of her partner and landed on the cloud, sending bits of icy powder falling from them, almost like snow. Ali then blasted another cloud with his Ice Beam, which Lisia then bounced on, repeating the process until snowflakes were falling from all the clouds.

"Ready for the final phase, Ali?" Lisia called as she landed on the floor.

Ali trilled out in reply, and then flew downwards. At the same time, Lisia grabbed a handful of snow and formed it into a ball. She then hurled it upwards as Ali fired a ball of pink energy at it. The two spheres connected, causing a large pink halo to extend outwards. The halo then fell upon the snowcapped stage, sending the powdery snow shooting upwards, where it gave off a beautiful rainbow shine.

"Yeah!" said Lisia. "Now that was great, Ali!"

"Altariaaaa!"

All around them, the audience cheered. It was clear that everyone admired Lisia's incredible skill. In particular, one girl with brown pigtails was cheering excitedly.

"That was so amazingly awesome! Lisia is the best performer ever!"

"Yeah, she is," Calem said in agreement. "There's a reason why she's the Kalos Queen."

"I know!" said Shauna. "I want to be just as good as her someday!"

Even Ash was impressed by the performance. "Well, that was actually pretty good."

"No doubt about that!" said Rotom. "And that Altaria is pretty talented too!"

"Altaria?" said Ash. "Is that what it's called?"

Rotom moved back towards the stage and began to scan Lisia's partner.

" _Altaria, the humming Pokémon. Altaria flies gracefully through the sky. Its melodic humming makes you feel like you're in a dream._ If you're listening to an Altaria with a sore throat, though, its humming will make you feel like you're in a nightmare!"

While Rotom continued to joke about Altaria, Serena kept staring towards the stage, even as Lisia and Ali descended back into the floor. The performance truly had been as amazing as Shauna had described; the passion that the two had demonstrated when performing together had mesmerized Serena, and the joy she could see in their faces was beyond anything she could have imagined. Not to mention how the crowd had become so excited when they performed, as well as the bond that Lisia and Ali clearly shared.

For a brief moment, Serena found herself imagining herself in the place of Lisia, with Fennekin in Ali's place. She could see herself performing to her heart's content, as the crowd around her cheered. She didn't even know what sorts of performance moves Fennekin would use, but she knew that they would inspire awe and admiration in everyone. And she knew that, as long as the two of them performed together, they would always have fun.

Could she really perform like that?

* * *

"See? That was awesome!"

The group made their way out of the Showcase theater, with Shauna skipping happily a few feet ahead of the rest. Serena seemed to be deep in thought, while Ash and Calem were simply smiling. Pikachu was resting on Ash's shoulder, while Rotom had been stuffed back into Ash's pocket after making one too many remarks on Altaria's nesting habits.

"I have to admit, I'm starting to understand why people love the Showcases so much now," said Ash. "Still, I don't think I'd want to give up on the Pokémon League to go perform."

"Pikachuuu."

"Yeah, me neither," said Calem. "Still, it's fun to watch. Plus, I'll be supporting Shauna as she goes around performing around Kalos."

It was at that moment that Ash realized that Serena hadn't really said anything since the end of the Showcase. As he turned back towards her, he saw the contemplative look on her face.

"Serena?" he asked. "Is everything alright?"

Serena blinked as she looked upwards, surprised by Ash's sudden question.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! Everything's fine! I was just… thinking about the Showcase!"

"Oh, okay," said Ash. He couldn't help but feel that Serena wasn't telling him everything, but he decided not to inquire any further.

For a short while afterwards, the group continued to walk through the streets quietly. Then, as they began to approach the Pokémon Center, Calem spoke up.

"So, Ash? What do you plan on doing next?"

"Me?" said Ash. "I still need to challenge the Gym, since I got distracted yesterday."

"Yeah, I figured," said Calem. "Shauna wants to get to the Camphrier town soon, though, since they'll be holding a Showcase there. So we're probably not going to stick around for that."

Serena turned to him in surprise. "You're leaving already?"

"Yeah," said Calem. "I mean, I got my Bug Badge while you were chasing Mr. Emo, so I don't really have any reason to stick around any longer. As for Shauna, now that she's seen the Santalune Showcase, she can get ready for her own Showcase debut in Camphrier."

"Yeah!" said Shauna. "It's going to be awesome!"

Calem chuckled at his girlfriend's enthusiasm. "Yeah, it sure is. Unfortunately, that means we're going to have to leave you two here."

Ash and Serena sighed, but then smiled at the two.

"Okay, then," said Serena. "I hope you have fun traveling together!"

"Yeah," said Ash. "And I'm hoping we'll get to see each other again!"

"Pikachu!"

"Oh, I'm certain we'll see each other again," said Calem. "We'll have a lot to talk about the next time we meet up!"

"Yeah!" said Shauna. "And we can all hang out together and have fun!"

The four friends smiled at each other. Then, Calem looked directly at Serena.

"Hey, Serena? Make sure to have a lot of fun traveling with Ash. That way, you'll be sure to find your dream, whatever that may be."

Serena nodded. "Thanks, Calem. And you make sure to fight hard to get all your badges!"

The two cousins smiled at each other, happy to have each other's support. Then, Calem turned to shake Ash's hand, and Shauna and Serena gave each other a high-five.

"Well," said Calem, "I guess this is goodbye for now."

"Yeah," said Ash. "You guys take care, alright?"

"Pikapika!"

"Okay!" said Shauna. "You too!"

"Of course!" said Serena. "See you soon!"

"Bye!"

"Goodbye!"

"See you later!"

With that, Calem and Shauna turned around and began to walk away. Ash and Serena watched them walk away, waving at them as they did so.

"Well," said Serena, "I guess it's just you and me now."

Ash's eyes widened. He hadn't thought about it, but at the moment he really was alone with Serena. It was just the two of them… traveling together… all around Kalos…

"Pikapiii!"

Ash was snapped back to reality by Pikachu's cheeky voice. He then turned to smile at Serena, hoping he wasn't blushing.

"Well, we've got our Pokémon with us, so it's not _just_ you and me."

"Oh, yeah," said Serena. "We can't forget our Pokémon."

The two young trainers chuckled together, while Pikachu rolled his eyes.

 _Ash? Will you please stop being a dork and just ask her out?_

"Well, why don't we go to the Pokémon center?" said Ash. "It's getting late, and I want to make sure that my Pokémon are rested up when we take on the gym tomorrow.

Serena nodded. "Sounds good to me!"

Having made their decision, the two began to walk towards the Pokémon Center together. As they walked, Ash tried hard to focus on the road ahead of him, ignoring the fact that, apart from Pikachu, he was now alone with his crush. Occasionally, he would look back towards Serena, and was immediately captivated by her beautiful face. He would then look back towards the road with a red-hot face.

As they reached the red-roofed building, Ash let out a sigh of relief. It was incredibly awkward to walk for so long alone with Serena without saying anything, and he needed something to take his mind off of her.

Little did he know that he would find exactly that inside the Pokémon Center.

As the two trainers and electric mouse entered the building, they were greeted by a familiar voice.

"I was wondering when you'd show up!"

Ash's eyes widened as he heard the voice. He then looked forwards towards the speaker, and his mouth widened into a huge grin.

"Brock!"

* * *

 ** _A/N: So, I was away for a bit, but I'm back now, and hopefully I'll be able to write more!_**

 ** _Anyway, We get to see our Kalos Queen, and it's not Aria! I'll bet you didn't see that coming!_**

 ** _Also, Calem and Shauna are leaving the group! But no need to worry, 'cause Brock has returned!_**

 ** _Next time: Ash's first Gym Battle! Will it be the same as in the show? If not, what other tricks does Viola have for our hero?_**


	16. First Kalos Gym Battle! Ash VS Viola!

Ash, Pikachu, and Serena sat at a table, with Brock sitting right across from them. He was currently wearing a brown jacket with short sleeves, a green undershirt, and gray pants, and he was talking about everything he had been through since they had last seen each other.

"And so Professor Sycamore told me that you were headed towards Santalune City, so I came as fast as I could!"

"That's awesome, Brock!" Ash said excitedly. "Now we can travel together again!"

"Pika!"

"That sounds like it'll be a lot of fun," said Serena. "I'm so glad you're back, Brock!"

Brock nodded. "So, you're going to challenge the Gym Leader tomorrow, Ash?"

Ash pumped his fist with a determined look on his face. "Definitely! I'm going to get my first Kalos Badge!"

Serena nodded as well. "I'm looking forwards to seeing that. I know you can do it!"

Ash smiled at Serena's comment, and for the briefest of moments, his cheeks turned red. Brock noticed this, and a sly smile formed on his face. Before he could say anything, however, a red figure bounced out of Ash's pocket.

"Yah! Finally I'm free! Did anyone miss me?"

Rotom then looked around in confusion.

"Say… where did Calem and Shauna go?"

"They left," said Ash.

"Aww," said Rotom. "I had such a great idea for the Flabébé!"

At this point, Rotom suddenly noticed the new addition to the group.

"Oh, hi there! Who are you?"

Brock stared at the possessed Pokédex in shock, not knowing how to react. Finally, he spoke.

"Ash? Did you catch some weird new Pokémon that looks like a computer? And talks?"

Ash sighed. "Brock, meet Rotom. It's a Pokémon who lives in my new Pokedex."

Brock raised an eyebrow. "You have a Pokémon in your Pokedex?"

"Hey," said Rotom. "I'll have you know that I'm a helpful and functional addition to the team!"

"Not to mention supremely annoying," Serena muttered under her breath.

"Sorry, Rotom!" Brock apologized quickly. "It's just unusual!"

He then paused for a moment, then looked at Rotom.

"Wait… Ash, didn't your old Pokedex get possessed by a Rotom at the end of the Silver Conference?"

"Yeah," said Ash. "And it turns out that Professor Oak's cousin in Alola had been making a new Pokedex that was designed to have a Rotom living in it."

"Huh," said Brock. "What are the odds?"

* * *

The next morning, the group met in the Pokémon Center lobby, where Ash was having his Pokémon checked before his Gym battle.

"Thank you for waiting!" Nurse Joy said as she passed the balls back to Ash. "Your Pokémon are all fit for battle!"

"Great!" Ash said happily. "Thanks, Nurse Joy!"

"You're most welcome!" Nurse Joy said with a smile. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"You can help me with my heartache!"

To Nurse Joy's shock, Brock ran up to the counter and grabbed her hands in his.

"Oh, Nurse Joy! I've been waiting for so long to find one as lovely as you!"

The pink haired nurse stared at him in shock, unsure of what to say. Meanwhile, Ash and Serena just chuckled nervously, while Rotom just looked on in bewilderment.

"Does he… do this a lot?" Rotom asked as it watched the exchange.

"Well," said Ash, "he's like this whenever he sees any attractive women. The Nurse Joys seem to lead to a particularly strong reaction."

Rotom narrowed its electronic eyes. "I see."

Serena looked at Ash with a confused look. "Hey, Ash? Is it true that the nurses in every Pokémon Center look exactly the same?" I mean, the one in Silver Town looked a bit different, but the one in Lumiose City looked just like this one! And they even have the same name!"

Ash shrugged. "Yeah, as far as I can tell, they're all pretty much the same. Although, come to think of it, the Nurse Joys from the Kanto and Johto regions did look different from the ones here.

Serena looked back at Nurse Joy in surprise. "That's weird!"

"Yeah, it is" said Ash.

"Pikachu."

* * *

"So, this is the Gym, huh?" said Brock.

"Yup," said Ash. "My first step in becoming the winner of the Kalos League!"

Smiling, he grabbed two Pokeballs from his pocket. He then tossed them out, revealing Pidgeot and Larvitar. The two Pokémon looked up at their trainer and cried out in joy.

"Okay, you two," said Ash. "Today's our first gym battle in a new region, so let's give it our all!"

"Pidgeooot!"

"Larvitar!"

Happy to see the enthusiasm of his Pokémon, Ash turned down toward the smaller of the two.

"Larvitar, this is going to be your first Gym battle, so if you start feeling tired or anything, just let me know, okay?"

"Tar, Larvitar!"

Satisfied, Ash returned them both to their Pokeballs. He then walked into the Gym, with his friends following him closely.

"You sure are excited for this Gym battle, aren't you, Ash?" said Serena.

"Oh yeah," said Ash. "I'm sure that Larvitar and Pidgeot are going to have a great time as well!"

"Pikachu!"

"Well, you'd better give it everything you've got, Ash," said Brock. "Who knows what the Leader has in store for you."

At that moment, Rotom popped out of Ash's pocket.

"Well, the Gym Leader prefers to use bug type Pokémon, so Pidgeot and Larvitar should be a-okay!"

"Yeah, I remember her Vivillon," said Ash. "And the pictures are all of bug types, so it should be pretty obvious."

Before anyone else could speak, a loud _click_ rang out through the area, and the group looked up to see the Gym Leader pointing her camera at them.

"What a perfect shot!" Viola said as she lowered her camera. "The camaraderie of a trainer and his partner as they prepare to battle against the Gym Leader! Such a great subject for a photographer!"

She then pointed her thumb at herself. "Hey there. My name's Viola, and I'm the Gym Leader of Santalune City!"

"Hi!" Ash said as he waved at her. "I'm Ash from Pallet Town."

Serena nodded. "I'm Serena."

Grinning, Rotom floated up to greet Viola. "Hello to you too! I'm a Rotom living in a state-of-the-art Pokedex, creating the ultimate Pokémon training experience for everyone traveling with me!"

"Well, I'd prefer the normal Pokémon experience, thank you very much," Serena muttered.

Surprised by the possessed device, Viola opened her mouth to speak. However, her surprise increased even more when Brock grabbed her hands.

"Why, hello, Viola! I'm Brock, and I was once a Gym Leader too!"

Rotom groaned as he watched, while Viola just stared in shock.

"I… you were?"

"Tell me, Viola," said Brock. "Do you believe in destiny?"

"Uh…"

"Because I believe that it was destiny that brought us both here together at this moment!"

"I…"

"Viola! Your eyes! Your hair! Your passion for the art of photography! There is no doubt in my mind that you are-"

Then Rotom's voice rang out through the room.

"Okay, that's it!"

Before anyone could react, Rotom zipped right up to Brock and slammed its hands against his sides. It then unleashed a Discharge attack, sending thousands of volts of electricity through the hapless former Gym Leader's body. He screamed as the Pokedex attacked him, before he slumped down onto the floor, much to the shock of everyone else.

"Please don't screw up Ash's first challenge," said Rotom.

Brock's only response was a pained whimper. Ash, Serena, Pikachu, and Viola all looked down at him, still not how to react. Eventually, however, Viola spoke.

"Well, that was… interesting."

* * *

Once Brock had gotten back to his feet, Viola led the group to the battlefield. She and Ash both walked to opposite sides of the field, while Brock and Serena both went to the sidelines.

"Okay, Ash," said Viola. "Do you need any explanation on how this works?"

"No," Ash replied. "I've already gone through the Johto and Kanto leagues."

Satisfied, Viola nodded to the referee, who lifted up two flags.

"This will be a two-on-two battle between Ash the challenger and Viola the Gym Leader. The battle will end when all Pokémon on one side are unable to continue, and only the challenger will be allowed to switch Pokémon."

"Okay!" Viola said as she grabbed a Pokeball. "Let's do this! Go, Surskit!"

With that, the ball burst open, revealing a small blue Pokémon with four thin legs, a yellow antenna, and two small beady eyes.

"Huh," said Ash. "Who's that Pokémon?"

"I got it!" Rotom said as it pointed itself towards the Pokémon and began to scan.

" _Surskit, the Pond Skater Pokémon. Surskit inhabits ponds, rivers, and similar wetlands. They move about as though skating the water surface,_ so you can watch reenactments of _Freezing: the Musical_ all year round!"

Ash rolled his eyes, then chose his first Pokeball.

"Larvitar! I choose you!"

With a flash, the rock skin Pokémon emerged, growling as he landed on the field. Viola smiled at the sight of the new Pokémon.

"Ah, a rock type," she said. "Usually a good choice against a bug. But I should warn you that Surskit is part water type as well!"

"I see," said Ash. "Thanks for the warning!"

"Part water type?" Serena said with a hint of worry. "That's not good for Larvitar, right?"

"Yeah," said Brock. "Larvitar is a ground and rock type, so it takes a lot of damage from water type attacks."

He then turned to Serena with a reassuring smile. "But I'm sure Ash can work it out. He always does!"

"Battle begin!"

Both spectators were immediately drawn back to the battlefield, where Ash and Viola were both making their first moves.

"Signal Beam!"

"Dodge with Dig!"

Surskit sent a beam of colorful energy at Larvitar, who dive into the ground to avoid the blast.

"Watch out, Surskit!" said Viola. "He could come out any-"

Before she could finish, the rock skin Pokémon burst out of the ground below Surskit. The little blue Pokémon cried out in pain as she was sent flying upwards.

"Hold on, Surskit!" Viola called. "Use Ice Beam!"

"Dodge it!"

The pond skater Pokémon began to collect a ball of light blue energy in her antenna. She then fired her icy attack at larvitar, who quickly got out of the way. For a moment it seemed as if he was safe, until Viola gave her next command.

"Keep it up!"

"What?!"

Surskit kept firing the Ice beam even as Larvitar dodged the attack. Ash was confused by her actions, until he looked down upon the battlefield. His eyes widened as he realized that the entire field was now covered in a thick layer of ice.

"Perfect!" said Viola. "Now get that Larvitar!"

To everyone's shock, Surskit shot off with far more force than she'd had before. Larvitar's eyes widened as she approached and attempted to escape. However, as he shifted his feet, he slipped on the ice and fell over.

"Oh no!" said Serena. "Larvitar can't move!"

"Of course!" said Brock. "Surskit is able to move best on water, but a floor of ice is a close enough substitute under these circumstances! And more importantly, other Pokémon can't move as quickly on ice, so they would be at a major disadvantage!"

Surskit slammed into Larvitar, sending him sprawling backwards. She then fired a Bubblebeam straight at him, which burst upon impact. The rock skin Pokémon cried in pain as he was assaulted by the attacks.

"Hang on, Larvitar!" Ash yelled. "Use Rock Slide!"

Larvitar fired off a barrage of stones towards his opponent, only for Surskit to skillfully slide across the ice, effortlessly evading the attack. Ash gritted his teeth as he tried to find out how to defeat the tricky Pokémon.

He then noticed the areas where the rocks had struck, and suddenly had an idea.

"Larvitar! Use Rock Slide on the field!"

"What?!" said Viola.

Larvitar seemed just as confused, but obeyed Ash's command anyway. Struggling to maintain his balance, he tossed out a large number of stones, which fell all around Surskit. While she was able to evade them without much trouble, the heavy rocks crashed upon the ice, crushing it to expose the ground underneath.

"Now aim at Surskit!"

Now able to stand up once more, Larvitar fired off a barrage of stones, sending them flying towards his opponent. Surskit attempted to escape, but the once icy floor was no longer suitable for skating, and so she had nowhere to go.

"Surskit!" Viola cried as the pond skater Pokémon was slammed with a huge boulder.

"Now finish it with Hidden Power!"

Larvitar gathered up a ball of green energy in his hands, then tossed it at Surskit. She was still in pain from the previous attack, and was unable to recover in time to dodge. As the attack connected, she was sent flying across the field and landed next to her trainer.

"Surskit!" said Viola. "Are you alright?!"

"Suuuursss..."

The referee lifted his flags. "Surskit is unable to battle. Larvitar wins!"

Viola smiled as she returned Surskit to her Pokeball. "Well done, Surskit. You rest now."

She then turned back to Ash with a Pokeball in her hand.

"I have to say, you're not half bad, Ash. A lot of trainers struggle with Surskit's ice floor, but you managed to find a way to overcome it rather quickly. But there's a lot more than that in store for you!"

She then tossed out her second Pokeball.

"Go, Beedrill!"

With a flash of light, a yellow and black Pokémon burst onto the field, buzzing loudly as he hovered above the floor. It was a familiar Pokémon to Ash; white wings, red eyes, and drill hands. Curiously, however, this one seemed to be wearing a belt around its torso with a strange stone.

Beedrill glared menacingly at Larvitar, causing Ash to glance worriedly towards his Pokémon.

"Hey, Larvitar? Do you want to take a break?"

Larvitar turned back to Ash, mildly surprised by his question. However, he then nodded with a smile.

"Taaar!" he said eagerly.

"Okay," Ash said as he lifted his Pokeball. "Return, Larvitar!"

As the beam of red energy sucked the rock skin Pokémon back in, Ash got his second Pokeball ready. He had the advantage at the moment, but that didn't mean he couldn't let Larvitar rest a bit. Besides, Pidgeot would appreciate a chance to spread her wings.

"Pidgeot! I choose you!"

The bird Pokémon burst onto the field, crying out as she emerged. She looked back at her trainer and gave him a determined smile. She then turned back to her opponent, ready to defeat him.

"You can do it, Pidgeot!" said Ash.

"Pikapika!"

"Don't get too confident just yet," said Viola. "Beedrill and I have plenty of surprises in store!"

"I was hoping for that!" said Ash. "Pidgeot! Use Hurricane!"

"Dodge it and use Twinneedle!"

The bird Pokémon fired off a huge blast of wind at her opponent, who quickly flew out of the way and charged at her with glowing stingers. Pidgeot responded by flying out of the way and firing a second Hurricane. This time, Beedrill was less successful, and his wings were hit by the attack.

"Well done!" said Ash. "Now hit it with a Double Edge!"

Pidgeot began to glow as it charged at Beedrill, who tried to fly out of the way. However, due to the injuries he'd sustained to his wings, he was unable to dodge quickly enough, and took a full-powered attack. Badly injured, it was just barely able to stop itself from hitting the floor.

"Wow!" Serena said as she watched the battle in amazement. "Ash is doing great! I'll bet he'll have that badge in no time!"

"Don't be so sure," Brock said with a frown. "Viola is a Gym Leader, so she almost certainly has an ace up her sleeve!"

Back on the battlefield, Viola was watching her Pokémon struggling to stay up. In spite of his condition, she didn't seem to be worried.

"I must say, Ash, you're quite an impressive trainer. Not a lot of trainers can knock out one of my Pokémon without losing one of their own in the process. Not on their first try, at least."

Ash smiled at the compliment. "Thanks! But I really couldn't do it without my Pokémon! They're the ones who got me as far as I've gotten."

"Pidgeooot!"

Viola nodded. "There is little doubt that the bonds between trainer and Pokémon are essential for success. Every great trainer knows this, of course, but the greatest trainers of all are those who can take that bond one step further!"

She then looked directly at Ash. "Tell me, Ash. What do you know about Mega Evolution?"

Ash blinked in surprise. "Um, not a lot."

A determined look appeared on Viola's face as she grabbed her camera. "Let's fix that, shall we?"

It was at this moment that Ash noticed a strange stone sitting next to the shutter on the camera. Upon closer examination, it seemed to resemble the stone Beedrill was wearing.

"Beedrill!" Viola said as she touched the stone on her camera. "Show them your true power! Mega Evolve!"

Ash's eyes widened as both stones began to glow with a mysterious energy. As for Beedrill, his stone vanished as his body glowed, as it would when evolving. Unlike regular evolution, however, the energy of this transformation was a bright orange.

"No way!" Serena said in shock.

"So that's Mega Evolution!" said Brock. "Now Ash is going to have a much tougher fight!"

As the light died down, Beedrill's new form was revealed. His eyes had become narrower, while his stingers had become longer and sharper. His legs and antennae had become shorter, and his wings seemed to have become more compact, not only being shorter, but also faster.

Ash couldn't help but feel the slightest sense of worry at the sight. However, he refused to let himself be intimidated.

"Pidgeot?" he asked. "Do you think you can take on Mega Beedrill?"

Pidgeot cried out with determination in her voice. So what if the big bug changed a bit? She could still beat him!

"Okay, Pidgeot!" Ash said. "Use Hurricane!"

Pidgeot fired off another blast of wind directly at Beedrill. However, to her shock, the drill Pokémon buzzed his wings and flew out of the way with blinding speed.

"Did you see that?!" Serena said, amazed by what she'd just seen.

"I know!" Brock replied. "Mega Beedrill's speed gets a massive boost! It's going to be much harder for Pidgeot to hit it now!"

"Pidgeot!" Ash called. "Try it again!"

The bird Pokémon obeyed, and launched a Hurricane. Yet once again, the Mega Evolved Pokémon flew out of the way. Pidgeot tried again, but Beedrill was far too fast to attack.

"Alright, Beedrill!" said Viola. "Switch to offense! Poison Jab!"

Beedrill flapped his wings and sped towards his opponent. Pidgeot attempted to flee, but was too slow; the drill Pokémon stung her with a pair of glowing purple stingers. It then sped off as Pidgeot attempted a counterattack, leaving her gasping for air.

"Ugh!" Ash groaned. "That Beedrill is too fast for Pidgeot to hit it or dodge!"

"I don't want to discourage you, Ash," said Rotom, "but I'm pretty sure that you'll never be able to hit that buzzer at this rate. His Mega-evolved form has vastly increased his speed, so he can fly out of the way of any attack you throw at him, and launch his own offensive as well."

"Gee, thanks," muttered Ash. "So, how do I beat him?"

"Hey, you're the trainer. If anyone's gonna figure out how to beat that bug, it's you."

Ash rolled his eyes as he scanned the battlefield. There didn't seem to be anything he could really use to stop the drill Pokémon; the field was covered with rocks and broken ice from the previous battle, but it wasn't like Pidgeot could use any of it to stop-

Suddenly, Ash had a flash of inspiration.

"Pidgeot! Use Heat Wave on the floor!"

"What?!" Viola said in surprise.

The flying type Pokémon seemed unsure about what Ash was planning, but decided to trust him. She unleashed a gust of superheated air all around the floor. Unsurprisingly, Beedrill chose to fly out of the way.

"What is Ash planning?" Serena said in confusion.

"Whatever it is," said Brock, "he'd better hope it works!"

Viola watched as the floor heated up. She was confused as to why Ash was doing it; there wasn't anything he had to gain by attacking the floor. Beedrill had escaped already, leaving a terrain full of rocks and ice-

Viola's eyes widened as she realized what Ash was planning.

"Beedrill! Look out!"

Viola had barely finished when the ice was vaporized by the heat, sending a huge plume of steam upwards. Beedrill was caught off guard by the sudden move, sending it upwards in shock.

"Now!" Ash yelled. "Hit it with Double Edge!"

"Beedrill!" Viola cried out desperately. "Counter with Poison Jab!"

Pidgeot glowed with energy, then flew into the cloud. For a moment, there was no sign of either combatant through the steam. Then, there was a pair of loud cries as the two Pokémon fell out of the air and landed on the floor.

"Pidgeot!"

"Beedrill!"

Both Pokémon seemed to be in bad shape, but they still hadn't given up. Pidgeot was standing on her feet with her wings spread wide in defiance, while Beedrill was hovering above the ground with its stingers pointed at its opponent.

Then both Pokémon fell to the ground at the same time. Pidgeot's eyes turned to swirls, while Beedrill reverted to its previous form.

"Both Pokémon are unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Since he still has one Pokémon available, the victory goes to the challenger, Ash!"

Ash rushed onto the field towards Pidgeot. He then knelt down beside her and stroked her feathers appreciatively.

"You did great, Pidgeot. Even after Beedrill Mega Evolved, you still managed to take it down! You're amazing!"

"Pikachu!"

"Piiidge!" Pidgeot said, exhausted but satisfied. Smiling, Ash grabbed a Pokeball and let Larvitar out.

"Hey Larvitar?" Ash said as the little green Pokémon materialized. "You did great today! We couldn't have won without you!"

A huge grin formed on Larvitar's face. "Tar, Larvitar!"

Ash smiled at his Pokémon, then looked up as Viola approached him.

"I have to admit, Ash, that you've been one of the best challengers I've had in a long time. Not a lot of trainers can take on a Mega Evolved Pokémon without more than one Pokémon, but you still managed to defeat Mega Beedrill. So you've earned yourself the Bug Badge."

Ash grinned as he looked at the badge. It was a bright green color with gold highlights, and it was shaped like an insect wing.

"Alright!" Ash said as he took the Badge and thrust it into the air. "I just got the Bug Badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

"Larvitar!"

"Pidgeot!"

Ash smiled as his Pokémon celebrated, then turned to see Brock and Serena approaching him.

"That was great, Ash!" said Brock. "Though you kind of had me worried for a moment!"

"Oh, don't be like that!" Serena said with a smile. "I knew Ash would pull it off!"

Ash grinned at the compliment, and for a brief moment, his cheeks became red. Once again, Brock took notice.

"So, Ash," said Viola. "Which Gym do you plan to challenge now?"

Ash turned to face her. "Well, to be honest, I'm not really sure. Although I'd really like to learn more about Mega Evolution. That Beedrill was awesome!"

Viola nodded. "Well, if you want to learn about Mega Evolution, then the Shalour City Gym is where you want to go. The Leader there knows everything there is to know about Mega Evolution."

"Shalour City, huh?" said Ash.

"I know where that is!" Rotom said excitedly. It then pulled up its map and showed off their current location.

"There we are! And to get to Shalour City, we go back to Lumiose, go west towards a few towns, then north through Cyllage City, and then through a tunnel or two!"

Viola looked at the Pokedex with fascination. "What a curious device! It would make an amazing subject for a photography session!"

"Okay," said Rotom, "but I want plenty of royalties!"

"What do you even need money for?" said Ash. "You're a Pokémon."

"Who knows? Maybe I'll start playing _Pokémon Walk_ or something! I travel a lot after all!"

"Riiight," said Viola. "Of course, since you're going to pass through Cyllage City anyway, you should probably challenge the Gym there first. Besides, it would help prepare you for the Shalour City Gym!"

Ash pumped his fist. "Alright! Then Cyllage City is next!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

Serena and Brock nodded, ready to hit the road once again.

"Well, since we're going to pass through Lumiose, we should pay Professor Sycamore a visit," said Brock.

"Yeah!" said Serena. "And Camphrier Town! It's a town with a lot of history, and great sights!"

Ash nodded. "Okay then! Let's get going, then!"

At that moment, the raven haired trainer's stomach began to growl. His eyes widened, and his face went red.

"Before that, though, could we get something to eat?"

The rest of the trainers and Pokémon began to laugh.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Fortunately for Brock, Misty isn't around to pull him away from girls. Unfortunately for him, Rotom doesn't approve either.**_

 _ **Also, that was our first Gym Battle! Only this time, Viola brought out a Mega Evolution! So now Ash and company want to find out more!**_

 _ **Next time: Someone catches a Pokémon! What Pokemon, you ask? And who will catch it? Wait and see!**_


	17. New Capture, New Antics

The group walked along Route 4, excited to get back to Lumiose City. Ash was excited to show Professor Sycamore his newest badge, and to get to know more Kalosian Pokémon.

"You know, I'd like to find a Pokémon or two while we're out here," said Ash. "Maybe something I could use in my next Gym battle!"

"Pikapi Pikachu!"

"I know," said Serena. "I'd like to catch a Pokémon too!"

"I'll admit, I'd like to find something good around here too," said Brock. "All I have right now is my Onix, so adding some more Pokémon to my team would help a lot!"

Rotom popped out of Ash's pocket and faced the rest of the group. "Did somebody say something about catching Pokémon?"

There was a collective groan.

"Come on, guys," said Rotom. "If you wanna catch some cool Pokémon, then I'm the dex to ask!"

Ash rolled his eyes. "Fine, then. What kind of Pokémon can we find on this route?"

Rotom narrowed its eyes as it looked around. There were trees and bushes all around, and there was even a nearby river. So many opportunities, so little time.

Finally, Rotom detected something in a nearby bush. It narrowed its eyes as it scanned, slowly detecting the creature within. Finally, it smiled as it turned back to its handler.

"Good news, Ashy-boy! There's something really cool in that bush!"

Ash frowned as he looked at Rotom. "What sort of Pokémon?"

"Oh Ash," Rotom said with Lillipup eyes. "Do you really want me to spoil the surprise?"

Ash sighed as he pulled out a spare Pokeball. "You're really going to make me do this, aren't you?"

"You know Rotom's going to do it, Ash," said Serena. "You might as well get it over with."

"Pikaaa."

Ash sighed and tossed the Pokeball. It flew into the bush, where there was the familiar sound of something being sucked in. The ball then fell out of the bush and back into Ash's sight, where it wobbled for a moment while its button blinked wit a red light.

Then, to everyone's amazement, it sparked, indicating a successful catch.

"I thought you had to weaken a Pokémon before catching it," Serena said in surprise.

"Yeah," said Brock, just as surprised. "How did you manage to catch… whatever you just caught?"

"Pikachu?"

Ash didn't answer; he just stared blankly at the Pokeball that was lying on the ground, unsure of what to do. Just what had he caught? Why had it not offered any resistance to the Pokeball? And would it listen to him once he let it out?

Ultimately, there was only one way to find out.

Slowly, Ash walked up to the Pokeball, not taking his eyes off of it for even a moment. He then bent down and cautiously grabbed it. Finally, he lifted it up and began to toss it.

"Pokeball, go!"

The ball flew into the air and burst open. With a flash of energy, a Pokémon was revealed.

"Litleo!"

Ash blinked. Standing before him was a small brown Pokémon with light brown paws, ears, and muzzle. It also had a tuft of red fur on top of its head. Most unexpected of all, however, was the carefree smile on its face.

"A Litleo?" said Serena.

"Litleo?" said Ash. Before he could ask, however, Rotom zoomed up to him and opened up a page.

" _Litleo, the Lion Cub Pokémon. Litleo must leave its pride and fend for itself in order to grow up strong._ The ones that stay and mooch off of their relatives become fat and lazy and eventually get eaten by Mightyena! It's the circle of life!"

Ash grimaced slightly at Rotom's comment, then looked down at the little Pokémon. She was now grooming herself, licking her paws as she sat without a care in the world.

"So… hello, Litleo," he said. "I'm Ash. I'm a trainer, and… I caught you."

At that moment, Litleo seemed to notice Ash for the first time. She looked up at him, curious about the strange being that claimed to have caught her.

"Um… do you want to join me?"

Litleo stared at him for a moment, tilting her head in curiosity. Serena, Brock, Pikachu, and Rotom all watched in anticipation, hoping that the cub would accept Ash.

Then, to everyone's joy, she began to lick Ash's face.

"Hey!" Ash said as he hugged Litleo. "Cut it out! You're tickling me!"

Rotom flew down, grinning as it scanned the Pokémon.

"Female Litleo with the Unnerve ability. Knows the moves Tackle, Ember, Noble Roar, and Work Up. So basically, she's gonna need a lot of training!"

As Rotom spoke, the light of the sun reflected off of it and onto the ground. The shiny patch immediately caught Litleo's eye, and she bounced out of Ash's arms and pounced on the light. However, when the haunted Pokedex changed its position to figure out what happened, the light shifted as well, and Litleo began to chase after it again.

The rest of the group watched dumbfounded as the lion cub Pokémon chased after the light. Rotom, however, had a huge smirk on its face.

"This is gonna be so much fun!"

* * *

After walking around a bit, they decided to stop for lunch at a clearing. Brock had set up his cooking area and was working on the food, while Ash and Serena were setting up the table. All three had let their Pokémon out, and Pikachu was introducing the others to Litleo.

"Lit, Litleo!" the lion cub Pokémon said with a smile.

Larvitar slowly approached the newcomer, unsure of whether or not she was dangerous. Litleo watched him with a curious look on her face, wondering what the green Pokémon before her was so worried about.

"Lar… vitar?"

Litleo decided to bounce up to him and give him a lick. The rock skin Pokémon was so shocked that he Hardened solid and didn't say any more. Disappointed by this, Litleo turned to the other Pokémon, who seemed worried about Larvitar, yet curious about Litleo. Pidgeot and Onix were gazing at her inquisitively, while Fennekin was beginning to walk towards her.

"Fenn?" Fennekin said as she approached. Litleo walked up to the little canid, taking in every detail she could. As she got nearer, one particular detail of the fox Pokémon became very clear to the small feline.

The big, fluffy tail.

Litleo cried out as she pounced on Fennekin's tail. Fennekin yelped as Litleo grabbed her tail, and shook around frantically, desperately trying to shake her attacker off. However, the lion cub Pokémon refused to let go.

"Kiiiiin! Fennekiiiin!"

Alerted by Fennekin's scream, Ash and Serena rushed to their Pokémon. Upon seeing the two Pokémon struggling with each other, they quickly pulled the two apart. Even then, Fennekin continued to attempt to lunge at Litleo, who struggled to run back towards Fennekin's tail. The rest of the Pokémon watched with worried faces, unsure of whether or not to intervene.

"Litleo!" Ash said as he held his newest Pokémon. "That is no way to treat a friend!"

"Pika!"

Litleo stopped moving and looked up at Ash in confusion. Why was he so mad about her chasing the big fluffy thing? Wouldn't he chase a big fluffy thing too? Or did he only like to chase the shiny things?

Meanwhile, Fennekin was glaring daggers at Litleo. Even as Serena did her best to comb her tail back in shape, the fox Pokémon refused to let such an injustice go unpunished. There would be consequences!

Fennekin barked angrily at Litleo, who stared back in surprise. She seemed less worried about being attacked, and more confused as to why she was being barked at. Ash, on the other hand, immediately recognized what the problem was, and sighed.

"See, Litleo? Now Fennekin is angry at you. You need to apologize, okay?"

Ash let go of Litleo, who bounced up to Fennekin with a smile on her face. She then gave the little yellow Pokémon a lick on the cheek.

Fennekin responded by blasting an ember at her. Both trainers groaned.

"Now what are we supposed to do?" Serena said as she restrained her irate starter.

Ash frowned as he pulled his new catch back. The two fire type Pokémon had clearly gotten off on the wrong foot, and they needed to work out their problems somehow.

He then smiled as the answer came to him.

"Serena! Let's have a battle!"

The honey blonde girl looked up at Ash with a combination of surprise and nervousness.

"W-what?! Battle?!"

"Sure!" Ash said confidently. "Battling is a great way for trainers to connect with their Pokémon, as well as for Pokémon to connect with each other!"

For a moment, Serena seemed unsure. However, as she looked at Fennekin, who seemed determined to fight Litleo, she gave Ash a determined look.

"Okay, Ash! Let's have a battle!"

Ash grinned and nodded. The other Pokémon began to move out of the way, although they kept watching the two teams excitedly. Once they had plenty of space, the two young trainers moved away from each other, walking to opposite sides of the field.

"Well, Fennekin," Serena said as she let the little canid back onto the ground, "I hope you're ready for our first battle!"

"Kin!" Fennekin responded as she saw her opponent.

On the other side of the field, Ash was setting Litleo down as he looked towards Serena.

"Well, Litleo, this is our first battle together, so you'd better get ready!"

"Leo?" Litleo asked, seemingly oblivious to the impending battle.

The two combatant teams stared each other down. Serena seemed nervous but determined, while her Fennekin was clearly ready to fight. Meanwhile, Ash felt confident, while Litleo just looked confused about the whole affair.

Then Rotom flew out onto the battlefield.

"This will be a one-on-one battle between Ash's Litleo and Serena's Fennekin! The battle will be over once one Pokémon is no longer able to battle! Understood?"

Ash glared at Rotom. "What do you want, Rotom?"

"Oh, don't be like that, Ashy. We all know you need a referee, don't you?"

Ash rolled his eyes. "Fine. Just don't mess things up."

Rotom nodded. "Okey dokey! Let the battle begin!"

Ash called out to Litleo. "Litleo! Use Ember!"

"Dodge it, Fennekin, then use Scratch!"

Litleo blasted out a ball of fiery particles, which sped towards her opponent. Fennekin jumped out of the way just before they hit her, and charged with outstretched claws. Litleo tried to dodge, but got scratched across the back by her opponent.

"Liiiit!"

"Litleo!" Ash yelled. "Hit her with a tackle!"

"Fight back with Ember!"

The lion cub Pokémon growled and rushed towards her opponent, smashing into Fennekin before she could react. However, the fox Pokémon still managed to fire off an Ember, startling Litleo enough to send her backwards.

 _Ahhh! Hot! Fire! It burns! No, wait, I'm a fire type too, so it shouldn't burn! But it's annoying! I need to fight back! And…_

 _Ooh, what's that shiny?_

As the two Pokémon fought, Rotom idly began to toy with a bit of light reflecting off of it. Then, on a whim, it sent the light off towards the field, wanting to see how Litleo would react. Just as expected, the little cub quickly lost interest in the battle and began to chase the light.

"Litleo!" Ash called in frustration. "Stop it! You're in a battle!"

"Ember!"

Distracted by the light, Litleo never saw the attack coming, and received a faceful of flames. She was sent rolling across the field, and stopped right next to Ash with swirling eyes.

"Litleo!" Ash cried out. "Are you okay?!"

"Leoooo…" Litleo replied.

"Litleo is unable to battle!" Rotom declared. "Fennekin wins this one!"

Ash sighed as he picked Litleo up. Out on the sidelines, Pikachu was similarly frustrated.

"Pikachu," he said as his paws met his face.

"Pidgeot, Pidge," Pidgeot said as she patted Pikachu on the back. Larvitar looked back and forth between Litleo and Pikachu, wondering if his new teammate was always going to act like this.

Back on the field, Ash and Serena walked towards each other, carrying their respective Pokémon in their arms. Fennekin seemed happy to have won, while Litleo seemed oblivious to the fact that she had just lost the battle. While Serena was happy to have won, she was still worried about Litleo.

"Hey Ash?" she asked. "Is Litleo going to be okay?"

Ash smiled as he petted the cub. "Don't worry about her. Give her some rest and food and she's going to be just fine!"

"Litleo!"

Serena smiled at Ash's comments. "Well, if you think she'll be okay, then that's good. It's just that… she's a bit odd."

Ash chuckled. "Oh, that's no problem! Even if she has some weird quirks, I know we're going to make a great team!"

"Lit Lit!" Litleo said as she snuggled in Ash's arms.

Satisfied, Ash and Serena began to walk back to Brock's cooking station, with the rest of the Pokémon following close behind.

"Hey, Ash?"

Ash turned towards Serena.

"Thanks for the battle. It was great to feel what it's really like to be a trainer. And I'm glad that my first battle was against you."

Ash's face turned red, so he tried his best to hide his face from his crush.

"Y-you're welcome, Serena."

Behind his back, Pikachu snickered.

* * *

"That Pokémon is so strange."

Ash put down his spoon to look at Brock, who was watching Litleo intently. He then turned towards Litleo, who appeared to be crawling to pounce on her bowl.

"She looks like she's trying to hunt or something," said Serena.

"I guess so," said Ash. "Maybe she's not used to being a wild Pokémon?"

"Could be," said Brock. "That would explain why she likes to pounce on everything."

"Whatever it is," said Rotom, "I know I'm gonna have a lot of fun having her chase random shiny spots!"

Ash tried to scold Rotom, but was interrupted by a crash. Looking down, he saw Litleo attacking her bowl while the Pokémon food was sent flying everywhere. The other Pokémon eating nearby stopped eating as they watched how the little brown cub struggled needlessly.

"Pika Pikachu," Pikachu said as he patted Litleo on the back, causing her to stop and look at him in confusion. The yellow rodent then began to pick up the food that had been spilled and put it back into the bowl. Litleo watched in fascination, wondering why Pikachu was putting her prey back together again.

"Lit, Litleo?"

"Pikachu, Pika," Pikachu explained. Litleo looked at him in confusion, then looked uncertainly at the bowl. All the while, her trainer and his friends watched the strange scene play out.

"Well, it's not every day that you get to watch a Pokémon get taught how to eat out of a bowl," said Serena.

"It's definitely a first for me," said Brock.

"Yeah," said Ash. "It's going to be… interesting to train Litleo."

"No kidding," said Brock. "Are you sure you're up for it?"

Ash turned to look at Litleo, who had finally begun to munch on her food. She looked up at her trainer for a moment and gave him a smile, which filled him with determination.

"Absolutely!"

* * *

 _ **A/N: Well, this chapter marks Ash's first catch in Kalos. And it's not something he had in canon!**_

 _ **Next time, we go back to Lumiose City, where the gang shall meet some familiar faces!**_


	18. Starter Pokemon

Ash and his friends walked through Lumiose City, heading for Professor Sycamore's laboratory. They were excited to tell him all about their recent adventures, particularly Ash's gym battle against Viola and her Mega Beedrill.

"I can see the lab!" said Ash as he began to run. "Let's go, guys!"

"Wait up, Ash!" Serena said as she ran to catch up to him. "The lab isn't going anywhere!"

Ash stopped in front of the door to the lab and looked back to his friends. His face turned red as he realized how far behind he'd left them.

"Sorry guys."

"Pikapi…" said Pikachu.

Serena rolled her eyes, then smiled at her friend.

"Oh, Ash. You can be so impatient sometimes."

"Yeah, he is," said Brock. "You get used to it eventually, though."

Ash groaned, while Pikachu giggled. As his friends reached him, however, his smile returned.

"So, shall we go in?"

Serena and Brock nodded, and Ash turned to open the door. Before he could do so, however, the door flew open, revealing two figures. Both were around the same age as Ash and Serena, and were wearing almost entirely white clothing. The one to their left was a boy with sandy blond hair and a blue tie, while the one to their right was a girl with purple hair and a red tie.

"Hello!" the two newcomers said in unison. "We're so glad that you finally-"

The two stopped suddenly as they noticed who they were talking to. They blinked in surprise, then turned to each other.

"These aren't the trainers the professor was talking about!" the boy said.

"It appears so," said the girl. "Still, they are clearly trainers, so we should be willing to assist them with whatever they may need."

"Even so, where do you suppose the others are?" the boy asked.

"I'm sure they're on their way," the girl replied. She then turned to the visitors, who were staring in confusion.

"Uh, hello?" Ash began. "We're here to see the professor?"

"Of course!" said the girl. "Sorry for the confusion. We were expecting another group of trainers some time today, so we were caught off guard."

"Now that that's out of the way, we should introduce ourselves," said the boy. "My name is Dexio, and this is Sina. We're the professor's top assistants!"

"I resent that!" a not-so-serious voice that Ash recognized as Alain called from inside.

"Anyway," said Dexio, "we're happy to have you visit. While we did not expect you today, the professor will surely be able to fit you into his schedule."

"Of course I will! I always have time for trainers!"

Ash and the others looked up to see professor Sycamore approaching.

"Ash! Serena! What a pleasure to see you again! And I see you found Brock too! How wonderful!"

"Professor!" said Ash. "It's great to see you again!"

"Pikachu!"

"Yeah, it is," said Serena. "How's everything going?"

"Everything is fine," said Sycamore. "But what about you three? You must have a lot to tell me! Please, come in!"

With that, the professor swung the door open for the group to pass. Excited Ash and his friends went inside.

* * *

"-And that's what you shall be required to do," said the voice on the radio. "You keep the Professor occupied while the second team infiltrates. Make sure that you keep them distracted until the mission is complete. Understood?"

"Understood!" the three trenchcoat-wearing figures said as they sat around the cafe table.

"Good," said the voice. "Don't you dare fail."

As the radio was turned off, the trio cringed.

"Well, we finally have a mission," said Jessie.

"And we're supposed to make sure the mission is a success," said James.

"And the twerps just showed up at the lab," said Meowth. "Anyone else feel like this is gonna be very painful?"

"Wobbuffet!" said Wobbuffet in agreement.

The group sighed, then looked towards the lab.

"So," said Jessie, "do either of you have any ideas?"

"I have one," said Meowth. "And it involves one of the Professor's Pokemon."

* * *

The group all sat down at a table, where Sina and Dexio were setting down a plate of cookies and a kettle full of tea. As they set down, Ash told the professor and his assistants all about his battle with Viola.

"Amazing!" said Sycamore. "Viola used a Mega Beedrill?"

"Yeah!" said Ash. "Pidgeot really struggled to take him down, and she still got taken down! Fortunately, she managed to defeat him as well, so I managed to get the badge!"

"Fascinating," said Sycamore. "Your Pidgeot is very strong! If she could have Mega Evolved, she would almost certainly had won!"

"If Viola could Mega Evolve her Beedrill, that must mean that she had a Key Stone, right?" said Dexio.

"And Beedrill must have had its Mega Stone," said Sina.

"Key Stone?" Ash asked. "Mega Stone?"

"Ah," said Sycamore. "Allow me to explain. In order to Mega Evolve, two stones are needed. The trainer has to hold a Key Stone, while the Pokemon needs to hold its Mega Stone."

As the Professor explained the mechanics behind Mega Evolution, nobody noticed a thin vine sneaking towards the cookies. It grabbed one of the sugary morsels, then quickly pulled away. It then sneaked back to the cookies, grabbed another one, then reeled it back in. As the humans continued to talk, the treats continued to vanish, as the mysterious vine grabbed cookie after cookie.

"...And each Mega Stone is named after the Pokemon which it powers up," said Sycamore. "For example, Beedrill was using a Beedrillite. Your Pidgeot would need a Pidgeotite, and my Garchomp would require a Garchompite."

"I see," said Ash. "And the Key Stone?"

"The Key Stone is held by the trainer. The Key Stone allows the bond of friendship that is shared by the trainer and Pokemon to flow into the Mega Stone, which enables the Pokemon to Mega Evolve."

"Bond of friendship?" said Serena.

"Yes," said Sycamore as he reached for a cookie. "It appears that, in order to Mega Evolve, the trainer and Pokemon must share a powerful bond."

As his hand touched the plate, he tried to grab a cookie, but only grabbed air. He looked down in surprise, and was met by an empty plate.

"What?" he said, looking up at his assistants. "Are you sure that you put the cookies?"

Sina blinked in surprise, then looked at Dexio.

"Dexio, I put the tea, so you should have put the cookies. Did you forget again?"

"What?!" said Dexio. "I didn't forget last time, or the time before that either!"

"Then where did the cookies go?!"

Sina's question was then answered in a most unexpected way; a sudden _smack_ resonated through the area, then a small brown and green mass flew upwards. It then landed on the table, right next to the now empty plate, and let out a loud burp.

"Pin, Chespin!"

The trainers gathered around looked at the Chespin, who was now happily scratching his belly as he looked around for more cookies. Meanwhile, Sycamore let out a tired groan.

"Not this again, Chespin."

"What's going on, Professor?" Ash asked.

"Pika Pikachu?"

"This Chespin has been a bit of a problem," Sycamore explained. "He eats much more than any of my other Pokemon, and he sometimes tries to steal food from the others, and even from me."

"I see," said Brock. "No wonder you'd have trouble with a Pokemon like that."

"Froak, froak!"

The group looked up in surprise, and saw an annoyed looking Froakie looking at Chespin disapprovingly. Chespin turned around and blew his tongue at the Bubble Frog Pokemon, earning him an annoyed glare in return.

"So, does that Froakie have trouble too?" asked Serena.

"I suppose so," said Sycamore. "I don't know what his problem could be, though. I'm just hoping that I can figure it out before he gets chosen by a trainer."

"Froakie's one of the starters here in Kalos, right?" Ash asked.

"Yes, that's right," said Sycamore. "But I'm worried that this particular Froakie will be too much of a handful for a new trainer."

As if to emphasize the professor's point, Froakie bounced up to Chespin and began to rant about how he had eaten all of the Professor's cookies. The Spiny Nut Pokemon responded by slapping Froakie in the face with a vine. Enraged, the Bubble Frog Pokemon grabbed a handful of the frubbles around his neck and flung them into Chespin's face. Blinded, Chespin tripped over the kettle and fell over. Before either of them could attack further, however, Ash grabbed Froakie while Brock grabbed Chespin.

"Stop it, both of you!" Ash yelled as Froakie struggled to escape.

"Pika Pikachu!"

"Fighting won't get you anywhere!" Brock yelled as Chespin shook the frubbles off of his face.

"Both of you stop this at once!"

Both starters stopped struggling and looked up at the professor. He was giving them both a disapproving stare.

"You two are supposed to be starter Pokemon! You're meant to be friendly and cooperative! If you get into arguments like this, you'll never be able to help your trainers be successful!"

The two Pokemon stared at the professor for a moment, then looked at each other. Then, Froakie snorted as he looked away. Chespin, on the other hand, jumped out of Brock's arms and ran off.

"Chespin!" Sycamore said. He then let out a sigh.

"Those two are such a handful."

Meanwhile, Brock was looking off in the direction that Chespin had run off towards. While he had to agree that the Chespin was troublesome, he couldn't help but worry about him. Perhaps it was the way that his behavior reminded Brock of the more troubling moments he'd had when dealing with his younger siblings.

"Professor?" he asked. "Do you mind if I go talk to Chespin?"

Sycamore looked up in surprise. "Well, if you want to then I suppose that's alright."

"Thanks, Professor!" Brock said as he got up and went off to find Chespin. Ash and Serena watched him as he left, then turned to the Froakie still lying in Ash's arms.

"And what about Froakie?" asked Serena. "Do you think he's going to be okay?"

Ash looked down at the little blue Pokemon in his arm, who looked up at him curiously. A smile then formed on Ash's face.

"I don't know, but I think he's going to be a great Pokemon one day."

The moment was then interrupted by a sudden voice.

"Professor!" Alain said as he reached the table. "The new trainers we were expecting are here!"

* * *

Chespin sat angrily behind a water dispenser. He couldn't believe the Froakie had the nerve to attack him like that. So what if he wanted to eat a few cookies? He was hungry! That was no reason for that frog to slap him like that!

Although, all the Pokemon in the lab got angry whenever he tried to take food from them. He'd learned the hard way not to steal any food from Garchomp.

Even so, those cookies didn't belong to Froakie, so why should he care? And the Professor never got angry at him either, so it wasn't like he was going to get in trouble. So why couldn't he just eat yummy food in peace?

"Chespin?"

The Spiny Nut Pokemon looked up in surprise to see one of the humans looking at him. He was a weird one; his eyes looked like they were closed, but he was clearly looking at him. But how? Were his eyes just really small? Or could he only see when his eyes were closed, and not when they were open? It was so weird.

"Hey, Chespin? Are you okay?''

Chespin looked at the human with an intrigued look, and then nodded. The human then crouched down so that their faces were much closer to each other.

"You know, it's mean to eat other people's food without their permission," the human said. "I know you were hungry, but you still shouldn't have just grabbed those cookies."

"Chespin?" the brown and green Pokemon said.

"If you wanted cookies so much, you should have asked Professor Sycamore for permission to have one. And you shouldn't have eaten all of the cookies either. It's not healthy to eat that much sugar in one go."

Chespin looked up at the human curiously. Even though he was clearly not happy, he was not being mean to Chespin. Indeed, he was rather nice, but firm.

"Here, why don't you try some of this?"

Chespin looked up in surprise as the human pulled out a small plastic container. Closer inspection revealed that it was full of small brown pellets. The squinty-eyed man poured out a handful of the pellets and offered them to Chespin, who gave the stuff a careful whiff.

It smelled good.

Curious, the Spiny Nut Pokemon grabbed a single pellet and put it into his mouth.

His eyes widened.

Grinning widely, he began to chow down on the food in the human's hand. He could hardly believe how good it was. It was so much better than the stuff that the Professor had in his lab!

"I guess that means you like it right?"

"Chespin-pin!" the grass-type said with a huge smile.

"I know you would," said the human. "Now why don't we go back to the professor?"

Chespin smiled and nodded. Satisfied, the human got back up and began to walk, and the Spiny Nut Pokemon walked next to him, following as closely as he could.

He could tell that he was going to like the weird-eyes human.

* * *

"Welcome!" said Sycamore. "I've been looking forward to meeting you!"

Ash looked in fascination at the two trainers who had just arrived; one of them was a short boy with orange hair, who was wearing a green vest and blue jeans. The second was a much larger boy with brown hair who was wearing a black t-shirt with a Vanillite print, as well as orange shorts.

"Hello Professor Sycamore!" said the shorter boy. "It's great to finally be here!"

"Yeah," said the other boy. "I'm so glad that we're finally going to-Serena?!"

Ash blinked, then turned to see they boy now right next to Serena.

"You know them?" he asked in surprise.

"Yeah!" said Serena. "This is Tierno, and that's Trevor."

"Oh, hey!" said Tierno. "I remember you! You were Serena's old friend who she found in the Silver Conference, right?"

"Uh, yeah," said Ash. "I'm Ash, and… I guess it's nice to meet you?"

"Yeah!" said Tierno as he shook Ash's hand. "It's great to meet you too!"

Ash yelped as Tierno shook his hand with much more force than he'd been expecting. He quickly let go, shaking slightly as he looked back at Trevor.

"So, it's nice to meet you too," he said as he looked at Trevor.

"Same here," said Trevor as he held out his hand. "And don't worry, I won't shake as hard as he does."

Ash let out a sigh of relief, then shook Trevor's hand.

"So, what brings you to Kalos?" asked Trevor.

"I'm here to compete in the Kalos league," said Ash. "Also, I was… really looking forward to spending time with Serena."

Trevor gave him a look, then gave him a knowing smile.

"Ah," he said. "I see."

Ash's eyes went wide as his face became red. "Wha-no! It's not like that!"

"Riiiight."

"Piiikapi…" Pikachu said with a little smirk on his face, causing Ash to turn at him accusingly.

"You little traitor."

"Eh, it was pretty obvious that you like her," said Trevor. "Also, you really need to ask her out."

Ash groaned. "Ugh… and why is that?"

As his answer, Trevor pointed towards Serena. Ash looked up in surprise, and was shocked to see Tierno gushing over Serena.

"And you've gotten even prettier than before!" said Tierno. "I can tell that you're going to be an amazing trainer!"

"Thanks Tierno," said Serena, "But I'm not going to train my Pokemon as dancers."

Tierno hung his head as he groaned. Ash watched in shock, then narrowed his eyes.

"I… is he-"

"Pika," Pikachu confirmed in a deadpan voice.

"If it makes you feel better," said Trevor, "Serena has never shown the slightest sign of being interested in him."

Any response Ash could have had was interrupted by the voice of Professor Sycamore.

"Well, I'm very happy you've managed to arrive, but I'm still waiting on one more trainer. Do either of you have any idea where she might be?"

Tierno and Trevor blinked in surprise.

"Uh, I don't know," said Tierno. "I mean, Trevs and I are buds, but we didn't know about anyone else coming in today."

Sycamore looked towards Alain. "Did you see any other trainers?"

Alain shook his head. "No. These two got here together, so I assumed the other trainer wasn't too far behind."

"How strange," said Sycamore. "Where could she be?"

As if to answer the question, the lab's door burst open, and a figure ran in at incredible speed.

"Omigosh! I'm so sorry I'm late! I slept in and I didn't realize that I was going to get my new Pokemon until-"

The figure suddenly tripped, sending her flying forwards… right into Alain.

"GAH!" The hapless lab assistant cried as he fell over. He then groaned as he tried to get back to his feet, only to realize that something heavy had fallen on top of him.

"Ugh… that hurt."

The heavy thing suddenly realized that Alain was beneath her, and quickly scrambled to her feet.

"Oh my gosh!" she said with a worried expression on her face. "I'm so sorry! I didn't see where I was going! Please forgive me!"

Alain looked up in surprise. Standing in front of him was a young girl with red hair who was dressed in a yellow shirt and green pants that were held up with red suspenders. She was also wearing a large green hat, a green vest, and a yellow scarf.

"Uh… it's okay," he said as he got back to his feet. "Just… please don't run into me like that."

The girl's worry was immediately replaced by a huge grin. She then took Alain by surprise when she grabbed his hand and began to shake.

"Thanks so much! I'm Mairin, by the way!"

Alain stared blankly as she shook his hand, then slowly shook it back.

"Uh, I'm Alain."

"Nice to meet you, Alain!" said Mairin. "Do you know where the Professor is?"

The sound of someone clearing their throat caught Mairin's attention, and she turned towards Sycamore.

"Well, this is all well and good. However, I'm certain you all are aware of why you've been called here.

The three young trainers grinned.

"We're here to get our first Pokemon!" said Tierno.

"That's right," said Sycamore. "More to the point, you're here to help me learn the secrets of the Kalos region's greatest mystery: Mega Evolution."

Ash and Serena looked towards Alain in surprise.

"Is that true?" asked Serena.

"Yep," said Alain. "That's why he got a special set of starters from Kanto for them."

"Kanto?" said Ash.

"Yep," said Alain. "The Professor's research suggests that all three of the Kanto starters can Mega Evolve if they reach their final stage. That's kind of why he got me a Charmander."

"Wow," said Ash, thinking about his own Kanto starters. Of the three, Charizard was the only one that had ever evolved, let alone reached his final form. Could he ever Mega Evolve him?

He was pulled out of his thoughts by the Professor's voice.

"So, without further ado, let's meet the starters!"

He let three Pokeballs fly into the air, where they burst open to reveal Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle.

"Wow!" said Trevor.

"They're so amazing!" said Mairin.

"Yeah!" said Tierno. "I never thought I'd get the chance to train one of these guys!"

"I'm glad you're happy," said Sycamore. "Now, which one do you want?"

"Well," said Trevor, "It's a hard decision, given that each one has both positive and negative aspects that must be weighed against each other. That being said-"

"I'm choosing Charmander!"

To Trevor's shock, Tierno grabbed the fire lizard and hugged him tightly. Charmander gave out a happy cry as he embraced his new trainer. Trevor, meanwhile, looked on in shock.

"But… but… I… Tierno! I wanted Charmander!"

"Then you should have picked him sooner!" said Tierno.

"Charmander!" his new starter said happily.

"I thought you wanted Squirtle!" Trevor complained.

"Didn't you see the Silver Conference?" said Tierno. "That Charizard that Ash has was awesome! Plus, it really impressed Serena!"

Ash's fists clenched.

"Oh well," said Trevor. "Well, I mean, Charizard does have a big rock weakness, so maybe it's for the best."

He then turned to look at the starters, only to notice that the Bulbasaur was already gone.

"What?! Where's Bulbasaur?!"

"Oh my gosh! You're so adorable!"

Trevor turned to see Mairin hugging Bulbasaur.

"I'm going to call you Twilight! What do you think of that?"

"Bulbasaur!" the Seed Pokemon said in approval, happy with her new name. Trevor stared blankly, then turned towards Squirtle.

"Well, I guess that means you're going with me, right?"

Squirtle grinned and hugged his new trainer.

"Squirtle, Squirt!"

Trevor smiled. "Well, you're a pretty neat guy."

"Squirtle!"

Professor Sycamore watched happily as the three beginners played happily with their new partners.

"How wonderful to see young trainers and their Pokemon getting to know each other! It makes me so happy to work as a Pokemon Professor!"

"I know," said Alain. "And it's so amazing to think that they're going to go out on adventures like this with their partners! Exploring the world together, getting to know new people and Pokemon, and becoming stronger and wiser… it's so amazing."

Sycamore turned to his assistant with a smile. "You could always go out on a journey of your own, you know."

Alain smiled. "Maybe I will. I mean, it's not that I dislike working here, but I feel like Charmander and Beldum could do a lot more if they had experience out in-"

Any other words that Alain had were interrupted by a loud explosion.

"What was that?!" said Trevor.

"I think it came from the Pokemon Habitat!" said Sycamore.

His eyes went wide when he heard the sound of a roar coming from the same direction.

"That sounded like Garchomp!"

"She's in trouble!" said Alain.

The two quickly ran off towards the Pokemon Habitat, leaving the trainers alone. Tierno, Trevor, and Mairin looked at each other worriedly, while Serena turned to Ash.

"What are we going to do, Ash?" she asked.

Ash turned to Pikachu, and the two nodded with determination.

"We have to go help!"

"Pikachu!"

With that, Ash and Pikachu rushed off, with Serena following them closely behind. The three novice trainers were left alone, staring in shock.

"Uh, what are we supposed to do now?" asked Trevor.

Tierno didn't respond, worried about whatever might have happened. Mairin, on the other hand, looked down at Twilight with a determined look on her face.

"We're going to help too!"

"Bulba! Bulb!" her starter replied, raising a vine to show her determination, and the two rushed on ahead. Trevor watched dumbfoundedly for a moment, with Squirtle sharing the same expression.

"Uh… I mean-"

Tierno and Charmander rushed past him. Momentarily shocked, Trevor sighed and began to go after them, with Squirtle following close behind.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Well, now the Kalos five have all been introduced, as well as some other semi-important characters!**_

 _ **And before anyone asks: No, Bulbasaur's nickname has nothing to do with the books.**_

 _ **Meanwhile, some starters are making a fuss. And Team Rocket is doing shady stuff. Where will all of this lead? Find out next time!**_


	19. Team Rocket Attacks

Ash and Serena quickly caught up to Sycamore and Alain. The two briefly acknowledged them as they continued to run towards the Pokémon habitat. As they finally reached the door, the trainers pulled out their Pokeballs, ready to fight whoever was trying to hurt the Pokémon inside.

"Be ready for anything!" Sycamore said as he opened the door. The others grabbed their Pokeballs, and Pikachu's cheeks began to spark. They then rushed through the door.

Upon entering, the first thing they saw were several smaller Pokémon running in terror, while others were hiding beneath bushes or trees. They then saw the reason why: a large draconic Pokémon which was stampeding around the area. It was a dark blue, with a red belly, and it had fins on its arms and back.

"Who's that Pokémon?!" Ash asked. Before anyone could answer, however, Rotom popped out of his pocket.

" _Garchomp, the Mach Pokémon. Garchomp flies at speeds equal to a jet fighter plane. It never allows its prey to escape_ , unless-"

The enraged dragon blasted a Hyper Beam at the group. The humans just barely managed to dodge, while Pikachu and Rotom hid beneath their trainer.

"Actually, never mind!" Rotom said as he slipped back into Ash's pocket.

"Why is Garchomp acting like this?!" said Sycamore. "She's usually much more gentle than this!"

"Maybe we can answer that question!"

The group looked upwards in surprise to see a familiar trio staring from behind the stampeding Pokemon. Ash and Pikachu narrowed their eyes as they saw them.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"And James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

"Wobbuffet!"

"Team Rocket!" Ash yelled as the trio finished their motto.

"Team Rocket?" Sycamore asked in surprise. "I thought they only operated in Kanto and Johto!"

"Well, these idiots have been following me and Pikachu ever since our journey began," Ash explained.

"Excuse us, twerp!" Jessie yelled. "Our presence in Kalos has nothing to do with you!"

"For your information," said James, "we have a very important mission to fulfill!"

"And this big old lug will be just perfect to help us out!" said Meowth.

"Wobba!"

"Did… did that Meowth just talk?" asked Alain.

"I don't care what you're here for!" said Sycamore. "You're not taking Garchomp!"

"Ha!" Meowth laughed as he pointed to Garchomp. Ash and the others looked up, and were shocked to see a metallic collar around her neck.

"Ya see that?" said Meowth. "As long as Garchomp's got that beauty on her, she'll be all ours!"

Ash smiled. "So, if we take it off, Garchomp will be back to normal? That's good to know!"

At that moment, the three Rockets's pupils shrunk to pinpricks, while Wobbuffet stared in surprise.

"I probably shouldn't have said that," said Meowth.

"Wobbuffet…"

"Gee, you think?" said Jessie.

"This isn't going to go well," said James.

They then shook themselves out of their shock and grabbed their Pokeballs.

"No matter!" said Jessie. "We can still get this Pokémon!"

"I agree to that!" said James. "We're going to win this one!"

"Go, Arbok!"

"You too, Weezing!"

With a flash of light, the two poison type Pokémon emerged, prepared to fight for their trainers. In response, Ash, Serena, and Alain all grabbed their own Pokeballs.

"Larvitar! Litleo! I choose you!"

"Fennekin! Come on out!"

"Charmander! Beldum! Let's go!"

As the group let their Pokémon out, the Pokémon habitat became a battlefield.

* * *

Brock and Chespin had been running since they heard the explosion. While Brock wasn't too familiar with the layout of the lab, Chespin seemed to know exactly where to go.

"It's great that you're here with me, Chespin," said Brock. "Otherwise I'd never know which way to go!"

"Pin, Chespin!" the Spiny Nut Pokémon said, turning back momentarily to smile at Brock… and just long enough to run into an unsuspecting Froakie.

"Cheees!"

"Froak!"

The two Pokémon landed next to each other, groaning as they looked around. Then, they met each other's gaze, and their eyes narrowed.

"Froakie! Froak!"

"Chespin! Pin!"

Before the two could start fighting again, Brock stepped in and grabbed them both.

"Stop it!" he said firmly. "We have bigger problems right now. Whatever caused that explosion is more important than whatever problem you two have with each other!"

The two Pokémon stopped struggling and looked up at the squinty-eyed human.

"You both care about the Professor, right?" Brock continued. "Then you know that he's in trouble, and you both need to work together to help him!"

The two Pokémon at him for a moment, then turned back to each other. They didn't really like each other, but they still realized that Brock was right. They had to stop fighting if they were going to help the Professor.

"Alright," said Brock. "Now let's go!"

The two starters nodded, then began to run to help Sycamore. Brock smiled as he followed close behind.

* * *

Arbok swiped at Fennekin and Litleo with a Poison Tail attack, which the two fire type Pokemon quickly dodged. They responded with a pair of Ember attacks that hit their target dead on, though they ultimately did little to dissuade the more experienced Pokemon. Arbok lunged at her opponents, who once again managed to dodge out of the way.

Meanwhile, Weezing was pumping out clouds of toxic gas at Charmander and Beldum. Charmander was too fast to be hit, and Beldum's steel typing prevented it from being affected at all. The Iron Pokemon then retaliated with a Take Down, which caught Weezing off guard and caused his attack to falter. However, he quickly responded with a Gyro Ball attack which sent Beldum flying backwards.

Finally, Pikachu and Larvitar were fighting off the enraged Garchomp. Larvitar was firing off as many Hidden Power attacks as he could, while Pikachu was trying his best to attract Garchomp's attention away from Larvitar. Of course, there was only so much they could do against the mighty dragon type, and with her secondary ground type, Pikachu's electric attacks were useless.

"Darn it!" said Ash. "There has to be something we can do to hurt this thing!"

"You could always teach Pikachu a new move for coverage!" said Rotom.

"Not helping!"

Garchomp roared as her claws glowed, and she lunged at Larvitar. Pikachu gasped and executed a Quick Attack, slamming into the Mach Pokemon long enough for her attack to dissipate. Pikachu sighed in relief, only for his relief to vanish when the huge dragon turned her gaze towards him.

"Gaaarrr…"

"Pika?!"

Ash's eyes widened as he saw the ball of energy forming in Garchomp's mouth.

"PIKACHU!"

Just before the Hyper Beam was fired, a pair of vines wrapped themselves around the mouse Pokemon and pulled him away. As Pikachu was pulled out of the line of fire, he turned around in surprise, wondering who had saved him. He was then met by a smiling Bulbasaur.

"Bulba, bulb!"

"Yeah! You did it, Twilight!"

All the trainers and Pokemon were shocked to see Mairin and her starter pulling Pikachu up and out of harm's way.

"Mairin?!" said Alain. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm helping!" said Mairin.

"Me too!"

The trainers looked up to see Tierno and his Charmander entering the room.

"Tierno?" said Serena.

"Is Trevor going to enter too?" asked Sycamore.

"I think so," said Tierno. "Trevs is my bud, so he's definitely gonna show up!"

As if on cue, Trevor walked in with Squirtle, panting slightly as he reached the group.

"Here!" he gasped. "I made it!"

"Squirt, Squirtle!"

"Awesome!" said Mairin. "Now we're all going to save the day together!"

As the three young trainers cheered together, the Rocket trio stared blankly at the scene. Even their pokemon seemed to have stopped to watch.

"Uh, guys?" said Meowth. "Can we get back to the battle?"

"Did that Meowth just talk?" said Trevor.

Before he could get an answer, the battle resumed, more fierce than ever before. Squirtle blasted a Water Gun at Arbok, Trevor's Charmander joined Alain's in attacking Weeing, and Twilight whipped out her vines to help Pikachu and Larvitar attack Garchomp.

"So what do we do?" said Mairin.

"We need to take out that collar!" said Ash. "If we can get that off, we'll bring Garchomp back to normal!"

"Got it!"

Meanwhile, Squirtle was assisting Fennekin and Litleo in attacking Arbok. As the Cobra Pokemon attacked with a Poison Tail attack, the two fire types blasted out Embers, while the Tiny Turtle Pokemon blasted out a barrage of Bubbles. The large Poison type cried out in pain, then swiped her tail at them again. This time, Fennekin and Squirtle jumped out of the way. Litleo, however, was not so lucky; she was hit dead on and sent flying.

"Liiiit!"

She landed right in front of the Rocket trio, causing them to look down in surprise.

"Who's that Pokemon?" said Jessie.

"I think it's a Litleo," said Meowth.

"I've never seen it before," said James.

"Wobbuffet!"

Litleo shook her head as she opened her eyes. The weird Pokemon with no legs had hurt her a bit more than she'd have liked.

The first thing she noticed were the two humans with weird hair who were looking at her.

The second thing she noticed was the blue… blob thing.

The third thing she noticed was something shiny.

She immediately lunged for the shiny thing.

"GYAAAHHH!" Meowth yelled as Litleo grabbed his coin. "Get that thing off meeee!"

As Meowth struggled to get Litleo off of his forehead, he accidentally walked right into Garchomp. Her aim thrown off by the sudden imbalance, she fired her Hyper Beam in the wrong direction, and ended up hitting Arbok. The Cobra Pokemon screamed in pain as she was hit by the incredibly powerful attack.

"No! Arbok!" Jessie yelled.

Then, to make matters worse, Garchomp fired a second Hyper Beam at Weezing.

"Weezing!" James cried.

Now weakened, the Cobra Pokemon was unable to fight back as Squirtle and Fennekin charged up their attacks. They unleashed them together, sending Arbok flying towards the trio. At the same time, the two Charmander fired off a combined Ember attack at the battered Weezing, flinging him into the trio as well. The combined force of the two poison types was enough to finally dislodge the Lion Cub Pokemon from Meowth's coin, sending her into the air.

"Litleo!" Ash cried as he ran towards her. Fortunately, he was able to catch her just before he hit the floor.

"Lit!" the fire type said, oblivious to the chain of events that she had unwittingly set in motion.

The trio groaned as they got back up. They then saw an angry Garchomp staring right at them.

"Uhh… nice Garchomp?" said James.

"We still control you, don't we?" said Jessie.

A ball of energy formed in Garchomp's mouth.

"I think not!" said Meowth.

Garchomp fired a huge Hyper Beam at them, causing a massive explosion. A huge hole was blasted through the wall, sending the trio flying outwards.

"We're blasting off agaaaaaiiiiinnn!"

As the trio vanished in the distance, Ash looked back towards Garchomp. Even if Team Rocket was gone, they still needed to take the collar off.

"Okay!" he said. "How do we get that thing off?"

Before anyone could answer, Garchomp roared and slammed its fins into the ground, knocking Pikachu and Larvitar backwards. Fortunately, Twilight caught them both with her vines before they could get hurt.

"We need to subdue Garchomp!" said Sycamore. "Then we can get the collar off!"

"Okay!" said Alain. "Everyone attack Garchomp! We need to weaken her!"

Immediately, all the Pokemon began to concentrate their attacks on Garchomp. However, all this seemed to do was make the Mach Pokemon angry. She let out a fierce roar as a ball of multicolored energy formed in her mouth.

"Look out!"

A huge Dragon Pulse blasted into the group. Several Pokemon were sent flying, and the resulting shockwave blew the trainers off of their feet. They struggled to get back to their feet as the enraged dragon type charged up another attack.

"Is everyone okay?" Alain asked as he stood up. He then realized, to his horror, that Mairin seemed to be too dazed to move…. And Garchomp was aiming straight at her.

"MAIRIN!"

The red-haired girl barely had time to react before she was tackled by the older trainer. Garchomp's attack then fired, missing the pair by mere inches. Mairin gasped as Alain looked at her.

"Are you okay?!"

Shocked by what had just happened, Mairin didn't answer. She just stared at Alain wordlessly. Fortunately, she was broken out of her shock by the voice of her starter.

"Bulba! Bulbasaur!"

Mairin smiled as she hugged Twilight.

"Don't worry, Twilight! I'm not going to get taken down right at the start of our journey!"

"Saur! Saur!"

Everyone else sighed in relief. The feeling was short-lived, however, as a loud road reminded them of the problem at hand.

"How much do we have to do to get that thing off Garchomp?!" said Ash.

All the Pokemon got ready to fight once more as the Mach Pokemon charged up another Dragon Pulse. Before she could fire it, however, a ball of sticky foam slapped into her face, blinding her and causing her attack to dissipate.

"Froakie Froak!"

Everyone turned around, and was surprised to see Froakie, Chespin, and Brock standing at the entrance of the room.

"Okay, Chespin!" Brock called. "Use your vine whip to grab Garchomp's arms!"

Chespin complied, sending his vines out to grab the Mach Pokemon and hold her tight. At the same time, Froakie flung two masses of frubbles out at Garchomp's legs, sticking them to the ground. Immobilized, the enraged dragon type struggled to break free, but was unable to escape its imprisonment. Seeing the opportunity, Brock grabbed his Pokeball.

"Onix! Rock Slide!"

WIth a burst of light, Brock's Pokeball burst open, revealing the huge Rock Snake Pokemon. He roared as he unleashed a barrage of large stones at his opponents. Garchomp winced a bit, but was overall not damaged too much by the not very effective attack. The collar, on the other hand, was pelted repeatedly by a barrage of rocks, each one hitting harder and harder.

Finally, the device could take no more, and shattered.

"Gaaaarrrr!" Garchomp roared as she was released from the pain and imprisonment of the controlling device. As Chespin released her from his grip, the Mach Pokemon fell to its knees, exhausted from the ordeal.

"Garchomp!" Sycamore said as he ran towards his Pokemon. He began to look over her, checking to see if there were any potential problems.

"Is she going to be okay?" Alain asked.

Finally, Sycamore looked up with a smile on his face.

"Garchomp will be just fine. She's just exhausted from the strain of that collar, as well as all the attacks she used."

There was a collective sigh of relief. Ash in particular took a moment to sit down and catch his breath, as his Pokemon sat down next to him.

"Yeah. That was pretty intense."

"Pikapi…"

"Larvitar…"

"Litleo…"

The moment was then interrupted when two voices rung out.

"Not so fast, evildoers!"

"The defenders of Kalos are here to save the day!"

Everyone turned towards one of the exits, where they saw Sina and Dexio. This time, however, they were wearing masks and scarves; Sina's were red, while Dexio's were blue.

The two young assistants then stopped when they looked around.

"Where did they go?" asked Sina.

"Were we late again?!" said Dexio.

* * *

A few blocks away, a pair of men in black clothing looked up at the sound of buzzing. The sound grew louder as its source grew nearer, until a small rectangular device landed right next to them. The propeller on top shrunk back onto the top, and the device started to beep. One of the men grabbed it and smiled as the other lifted up a radio.

"The mission has been a success."

"Good," said the voice on the other end. "Report back with the data you've acquired."

"Understood," the man said. He then turned to his colleague, who was toying around with the device.

"So, you think this data will help us against this Team Flame or whatever they're called?"

"The chief thinks so," the other man said. "And that's good enough for me."

* * *

Somewhere west of Lumiose City, a small group of misfits groaned as they hung from a tree.

"Ugh… can someone get the number of that truck that ran me over?" said James.

"I think that was just a giant flying shark," said Meowth.

"Whatever it was, it hurt," said Jessie.

"Wobbuffet…"

"Well, at least we distracted them for a bit," said James. "Do you think it was long enough to get the mission done?"

"I hope so," said Meowth. "We're going to get chewed out if it wasn't."

The gang sighed as they lay back against the branches… which suddenly let out a cracking sound.

"...Am I the only one who hears that?" said James.

"No," said Jessie. "I hear it too."

Then the branch beneath them gave out.

The trio screamed as they fell out of the tree and landed on the ground. With a loud _thud_ , the three landed in a heap; James landed first, followed by Jessie, then Meowth, and finally Wobbuffet.

"AGH!" James yelled as the combined weight of his three companions fell on top of him. After a moment, the others realized what had happened and immediately got off of their friend.

"James!" Jessie cried. "Are you okay?"

The blue-haired agent moaned something incomprehensible as he lay on the ground, causing the others to look at each other worriedly. Then, to their relief, James lifted his head slightly.

"I could really use something to cheer me up."

At that moment, something else fell out of the tree and onto his face. He yelled for a moment, then got to his feet and pulled the object off.

He blinked. The thing had blue tentacles, a pink and gray body, and two very large eyes.

"Inkay! Inkay!"

The trio stared blankly, while the creature looked back at James with a smile on its face.

"So…" said Jessie, "are you going to catch it, or what?"

* * *

 _ **A/N: Well, Team Rocket ended up like they always do… although that might have been part of the plan.**_

 _ **And for those of you who have asked: Personally, I like to think that the Chespin that appears here is indeed the one that Clemont caught in canon. That's just me, though, and you're welcome to think whatever you want.**_

 _ **Next time: Chespin and Froakie decide what they want to do!**_


	20. Moving Forward

Malva smiled as the cameras began to roll. She loved being a news reporter as well as a member of the Elite Four, and she relished the chance to talk about the many noteworthy events of the Kalos region. Not to mention that it gave her valuable access to all sorts of information, which was very useful for her… other interests.

That, however, was something for another day. Right now, she had a job to do.

"Good evening," she said, "and welcome to the Holocaster News Hour. Tonight, we have breaking news from Lumiose City."

She took a brief moment to look at the cameraman, who nodded at her.

"Earlier today, a group of criminals attacked the Sycamore Laboratory. Witnesses describe the cries of an enraged Garchomp, which was later confirmed to be the same one owned by Professor Augustine Sycamore. Garchomp was assaulted by the criminals, who attempted to control it by placing some sort of mid control device around its neck. Fortunately, a group of young trainers were able to subdue it before any permanent damage could be done. However, the perpetrators were able to escape in the ensuing chaos.

"According to several eyewitness reports, the individuals who broke into the laboratory were members of the criminal organization known as Team Rocket. While the group is mostly known to work in the Kanto region, they have occasionally been known to work in other regions, most notably Johto. Any motives the organization may have for coming to Kalos, as well as what connection, if any, the group may have to the organization known as Team Flare, remains unknown.

"In light of the incident, the Lumiose City Police Department has promised to apprehend the agents responsible for the incident. Meanwhile, various organizations have pledged to fight the threat posed by Team Rocket. In particular, the Kalos Elite Four and Champion have released a statement that they shall do everything in their power to prevent Team Rocket from hurting the Pokémon of the Kalos region. Finally, officials are urging all trainers to to be on their guard and do their part to bring these criminals to justice."

* * *

In a dimly lit room, a mysterious figure watched the broadcast with great interest. While he was already familiar with Team Flare, Team Rocket was a new one. The incident had caused much less damage than it could have, but that did not mean that such a thing could not happen again. Furthermore, the addition of a second criminal gang to the region meant that such incidents were bound to become much more likely. And if the two groups were to work together, things would undoubtedly get… ugly.

More than anything, he wanted to rush off to fight the evildoers. But there were problems with doing so. He could not, after all, simply abandon his current duties, even if it was for a good cause. And furthermore, his beloved city needed protecting just as much as the rest of Kalos. No matter how much he wanted to help Kalos, he was needed here.

More than anything, one thing was clear. He couldn't do this alone.

"I need someone I can rely on. Someone who can take care of my civilian duties, but also become a protector to the people I love. Someone who I can trust with my greatest secrets, and who I know will never fail me. I need… I need…"

"You're doing again, dad."

Meyer jumped out of his chair in shock. He then landed on the floor next to his son, who was staring down at him in surprise.

"C-Clemont!" Meyer said in surprise. "What are you doing here?!"

"Well," the blond haired boy said, "I was going to ask you to help me test out one of my new inventions. But when I walked in I found you staring at the television while doing your Crobatman voice."

Meyer blinked. "My what?"

"The thing you do when you lower your voice and sort of growl out the words," said Clemont. "Bonnie says it makes you sound like Crobatman."

"That's not what I was going for…" Meyer muttered.

"Anyway," said Clemont, "if you're too busy to help with my invention, then I guess I can ask you tomorrow."

Meyer chuckled. One thing that never ceased to amaze him was how dedicated his son was to making his inventions. To be fair, they constantly exploded in his face. But every once in awhile, his efforts bore fruit, and he would create something amazing. Honestly, Clemont's engineering skills would be a great asset for any company smart enough to hire him. He could probably even make gadgets for a superhero to use-

And then he was hit by a flash of inspiration.

"Clemont!"

The young inventor stopped as he turned back to his father.

"Yes, dad?"

Meyer grinned as he got back to his feet. He knew now what he needed to do.

"Tell me, son. What do you know about Blaziken Mask?"

Clemont blinked. Whatever he had been expecting, that wasn't it.

"Blaziken Mask?" he asked. "Well, he's this superhero guy who uses a Blaziken that… changes, somehow. And he helps people? I don't know. I guess he's pretty cool."

"Yeah," said Meyer "He is pretty cool."

Clemont frowned. "Yeah, but what's this got to do with anything?"

Meyer pointed back at the television. "You see that, Clemont? The lab got attacked today by a bunch of bad guys called Team Rocket. And you already know how bad Team Flare is.

"Okay," said Clemont as he looked at the news report. "So, Blaziken Mask is going to try to stop them, right?"

"Ah," said Meyer, a sly smile forming on his face. "Now this is where things get interesting."

* * *

"Well," said Trevor, "I didn't think that this was how my first day as a trainer would turn out."

The trainers all nodded in agreement. After the events of the day, Professor Sycamore had offered to let them spend the night at the lab. The trainers were now all sitting on top of their sleeping bags next to their Pokemon. They were all talking about the crazy day they had just experienced, as well as what they planned to do.

"Yeah, well it was still a great day!" said Mairin. "And we all got to make a whole bunch of new friends!"

"Bulbasaur!" Twilight said in agreement.

"Yeah!" said Tierno. "I know that I'm gonna have a whole lot of fun with Charmander! We're going to create a whole new battle style involving dance moves!"

Ash looked at him in surprise. "Dance moves?"

"Oh yeah," Serena said with a laugh. "Tierno loves to dance! Whenever we saw him, he was always going on about how he wanted to teach every Pokemon he had to dance!"

"Oh yeah!" said Tierno. "I'm going to become the world's greatest Pokemon dancer! Then, when I become the Champion of Kalos, everyone will be so inspired that they'll teach their pokemon to dance too!"

"Char-Char!" Charmander said, excited at the prospect of learning how to dance.

"Yeah, we'll just have to wait and see," said Trevor. "I mostly just want to collect data on as many Pokemon as I can, and become extremely knowledgeable on all Pokemon subjects… although I might end up challenging the Pokemon League anyway. I do want my Pokemon to grow stronger."

"Squirtle!"

"That's a great goal to have, Trevor," said Alain. "I want to learn more too, especially about Mega Evolution. And I want to become a strong trainer while I'm at it!"

"Wow, that's so cool!" said Mairin. "I want to travel all over the place, getting stronger and meeting all sorts of people and Pokemon! And I really want to find out what Mega Evolution is all about!"

"Bulbasaur!"

"That sounds so great!" said Ash. "But I'm the one who's going to win the Kalos League this year!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" Pikachu said as he pumped his fists.

"You'd better watch out," said Alain. "Because I might just be the one to win it!"

"Fat chance of that!" said Tierno. "I'm the guy who's going to be the next champion!"

"And who says it's gonna be a guy?" Mairin piped up. "It could just as easily be me!"

The group laughed together as they each talked about how they were going to win. Serena watched in fascination, happy to see how determined they each were to win.

She then let out a sigh, which Brock noticed.

"Serena? Are you okay?"

The honey blonde girl turned to face him.

"It's nothing, Brock. It's just, well, seeing how everyone gets so excited about their goals when I don't even know what I want mine to be…"

Brock smiled. "Ah, I see. Well, not everyone figures out their calling in life immediately. In fact, most people take many years to find out what they want to do."

Slightly reassured, Serena smiled back at him. She then frowned slightly as she remembered something else that had been on her mind.

"Hey, Brock? Have you heard about Pokémon performing?"

"Not much," Brock admitted. "I mean, it sounds pretty interesting, but I haven't really gotten to see any of them yet."

"Oh," Serena replied, slightly disappointed. "Well, it's something that's been on my mind since we went to Santalune city. Ash and I watched a showcase, and it was… inspiring to watch. Especially when we saw Lisia perform. It was really amazing."

"Ah," said Brock. "So, you're thinking about performing yourself?"

"A bit," Serena admitted.

"Well," said Brock, "if you really want to try it out, then why not? I mean, you might not succeed on your first try, or the second, but you might end up finding that you really like to do it. And even if you don't, you'll at least know that you tried!"

Serena pondered what Brock had said for a moment. Sure, she could decide not to participate in any Showcases, but what would that accomplish? If she never tried, she wouldn't find out if it was something she actually wanted to do. And she would still not have any idea what her dream was.

Slowly, a smile crept onto her face.

"You're right, Brock. I do want to try Performing with Fennekin. And even if it's not the thing I want to do with my life, I need to try to find out!"

Brock smiled. "That's the right kind of attitude to have, Serena. And remember that Ash and I will be cheering for you all the way."

Serena nodded, her mind now set at ease.

* * *

Ash yawned as he opened his eyes. It was still rather dark outside, although the first few rays of sun were just starting to become visible outside the window. All around him, his friends were still fast asleep, and Pikachu was still rolled up right next to his sleeping bag.

Shrugging, the raven-haired trainer tried to go back to sleep. As he lay down, however, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Looking around, he saw that it was the same Froakie that had helped save Garchomp earlier. Curious, he got out of his sleeping bag and quietly made his way towards the little water type. After a few careful steps, he made it out of earshot from the sleeping trainers and Pokemon and reached the Bubble Frog Pokemon.

"Hey, Froakie?"

Froakie looked up in surprise. Upon seeing Ash, he huffed and turned away.

"Hey, don't be like that," said Ash. "I just wanted to say thanks for helping us with Garchomp. If you hadn't arrived right then, who knows what would have happened to us."

"Froak, froak," Froake replied.

"Really, though. You're a great Pokemon, and any trainer who got you would be lucky to have someone like you on their team."

Froakie huffed. While he was happy that this trainer could appreciate him, he knew that the Professor would most likely hand him over to some novice trainer without any experience or knowledge on how to raise Pokemon. Then he'd have to endure all the foolishness and naivete of a newbie trainer, and he'd end up getting chased by a flock of Spearow or have his lunch stolen by a Rattata.

"Froakie, Froak Froak," he said defiantly. He then hopped off, leaving Ash alone.

Ash sighed. As much as he admired Froakie, he could still tell that the little amphibian was a handful.

" **WAKE UUUUPPP!** "

…Albeit nowhere near the level of Rotom.

* * *

A few hours later, all the trainers were gathered just outside the lab. Ash, Serena, and Brock were getting ready to leave, and they were busy saying their goodbyes to the other trainers, as well as Sycamore.

"Well, it was fun, but I've got to go," said Trevor. "I really want to see how many different Pokemon I can find around the region. Also, I want to see if I can get some badges."

"Yeah, me too," said Alain. "Besides, Charmander and Beldum really want to find Mega Stones for when they evolve!"

"That sounds cool!" said Mairin. "I want to find some Mega Stones too!"

"Well, good luck with that," said Serena. "We're actually headed towards Shalour City. Viola told us that the leader there knows a lot about Mega Evolution."

"Yeah," said Ash. "Not only are we going to find out a whole lot, but I'm going to get a gym badge!"

"Pikachu!"

"That sounds great," said Alain. "I'll have to check that out at some point."

"I might just do the same myself," said Sycamore. "It would be of great help to my research!"

"Yeah," said Tierno. "Well, I'm off. Charmander's eager to learn how to dance!"

"Same here," said Trevor. "I want to find some new Pokemon!"

The two boys turned around and made their way into the city.

"Bye guys!"

"Bye!" the rest of the group said as they waved at them. Ash and his friends then turned towards Alain and Mairin.

"We'd better go as well. I really want to get my next badge. And also find out more about Mega Evolution!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

"That sounds like a great idea," said Alain. "And I'll bet that you and your pokemon will become really strong by doing so."

"Indeed," said Sycamore. "Not only that, but you'll also reinforce the bonds of friendship that you share with each of your Pokemon. And by working together, you will become stronger than ever before! Which reminds me…"

The messy-haired professor reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small metal object. He then passed it to Brock, who took it in surprise.

"What is this?" he asked.

"It's a Metal Coat," said Sycamore. "It's an item that helps certain Pokemon evolve, Including your Onix. Interestingly enough, Steelix is also capable of Mega Evolving."

"Really?" Brock said as he stared at the item in his hand. "Are you sure you want me to have it?"

"Of course," said Sycamore. "I don't have much use for it, unfortunately. I haven't found any Onix or Scyther to evolve, so it's better off with someone like you than collecting dust on my shelf."

"Okay," said Brock. "Well, thanks!"

Sycamore was about to respond, when he was interrupted by a small cry. He looked down, and was surprised to see Froakie looking up at Ash.

"Froakie, Froak!"

Surprised, Ash bent down to get a better look at Froakie. The little amphibian seemed to be staring at him with a sad, almost longing expression.

"Hey, Froakie," said Ash. "Are you sad to see me go?"

"Froakie," the Bubble Frog Pokemon said sadly. While he didn't know Ash all that well, he seemed like a good trainer. Definitely a much better one than whatever young trainer he would inevitably get.

Ash frowned at the sight of the downcast Pokemon. Then, he smiled as an idea came to his head.

"Hey, professor? Do you mind if Froakie comes along with me?"

Sycamore blinked, and Froakie looked up in surprise.

"I know it's not really something that you would normally do," said Ash, "But I feel that Froakie doesn't want to be given to a beginner. I think he wants to travel with someone more experienced than that."

Froakie was even more surprised than before. Ash really did understand what he wanted! A grin formed on his face, and he hopped up into Ash's arms.

"Ha, okay!" said Ash. "I think he likes me!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu said as he greeted his newest teammate.

Sycamore smiled. "Well, if Froakie wants to go with you, then there's not much I can say. Still, it's quite unusual to see a starter Pokemon who chooses to go with a trainer who isn't a beginner. I don't believe it's ever happened to me."

"Chespiiiiin!"

The group then looked back towards the door to see the same Chespin that had helped rescue them running towards them as fast as he could. He then stopped just before reaching Brock, and grabbed him by the leg.

"Chespin! Ches-Chespin!"

Sycamore stared dumbfoundedly. He'd already seen one of his starters go off with an older trainer, but two? In the same day? That was, as far as he could tell, unprecedented.

"Professor?" said Mairin. "I think Chespin likes Brock."

"Well, what do you know?" said Brock as he picked up the little brown and green Pokemon. "So, Chespin? Do you want to come with me?"

"Pin! Chespin!" said Chespin. He definitely wanted to go with the weird-eyed human. He was so nice! And he had yummy food!

"Well," said Sycamore, "I suppose he can go with you… fortunately, I didn't have time to put their Pokeballs away yesterday, so I should still have them here in my pocket somewhere."

As the professor dug through his pockets, Chespin and Froakie briefly locked eyes with each other. Their faces briefly turned to glares as they remembered their less amicable moments. Fortunately, it was quickly interrupted by Sycamore's voice.

"Here you go!" he said as he passed the two trainers the Pokeballs for their newest Pokemon. "I hope you two take good care of them."

"Don't worry," said Ash. "We will."

"Yeah," said Brock. "Chespin and Froakie are in good hands!"

"Definitely!" said Serena. "Ash and Brock are great trainers, and I'm sure they'll do just fine!"

Ash couldn't help but blush a bit. While he knew that Serena was technically complementing Brock as well, he liked to hear her compliment him.

"Well, you'd better train them well," said Alain, "because there are some pretty strong trainers in Kalos!"

"Of course we will!" said Ash. "Isn't that right, guys?"

"Pikachu!"

"Froakie!"

Ash smiled. He then turned to his friends, who seemed ready to go.

"Well, it's been a lot of fun, but I think we'd better go now. We've got a whole lot of adventures waiting for us in the Kalos region!"

"Pikachu!"

"Alright," said Sycamore. "You guys take care, okay?"

"You got it!" said Ash. "Bye!"

"Pikachuuu!"

"Froakieee!"

"See you soon!" said Alain.

"Goodbye!" said Brock.

"Chespiiin!"

"Have fun!" said Mairin.

"See you later!" said Serena.

As the group departed, Alain and Sycamore looked at each other.

"Well," said Alain, "I've really enjoyed working with you, but it's time for me to go out and explore the world. And who knows? Maybe I'll find some Mega Stones while I'm at it."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Sycamore. "I know you'll grow a lot on this journey. So go out and have some fun!"

Alain nodded as he grabbed his bag. He then turned to walk away, only to be stopped by a voice.

"Wait!"

The former lab assistant turned around to see Mairin looking at him with a worried look.

"Um, I just wanted to say thanks for saving me yesterday."

Alain blinked. "Oh, well, that's no problem. I mean, I was just doing what anyone would do in that situation.

"Yeah, but you still saved me!" said Mairin. "And… um…"

The red-haired girl fiddled around with her fingers as she looked downwards.

"I… could I go with you?"

"What?"

"It's just… it's not so fun when you go alone!" said Mairin. "And you've been helping the professor, so you know a lot about Pokemon, so I think it would great if we could travel together!"

Alain stared at her, still unsure how to react. On one hand, he hadn't imagined himself traveling with a companion, much less someone he'd just met the day before. On the other hand, it wasn't exactly uncommon for trainers to travel in small groups, even when they didn't know each other all that well before they started. Plus, Mairin seemed to be a nice, if somewhat clumsy, girl.

A smile formed on his lips as he made his choice.

"Sure, why not?"

A strange sound that sounded a lot like a squee came out of Mairin's mouth. She then threw her arms around him and squeezed hard.

"Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

"You're welcome!" Alain gasped. "Please let me go now!"

Mairin quickly let him go, then pointed towards the road.

"Alrighty! This is the beginning of our great adventure! So onwards we go!"

She then grabbed Alain's hand and began to run, dragging him along with a yelp. Professor Sycamore couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

"Oh, to be a young trainer. So young and hopeful. I still remember those days…"

* * *

A/N: So, the other two Kalos starters have joined the group! Of course, Ash gets blue ninja Kermit. And, with no Clemont around, Brock gets the big eater.

Speaking of Clemont... stuff is happening with him.

Also, Malva does what she does best: Exposition!

Next time: Pokemon Battles!


	21. A Gym Leader In Training

It was sunny and bright as Ash and his friends walked along Route 5. Currently, they were passing along a park, which had a playground, a picnic area, and a battlefield. It also had a long railing that went up into the hill up ahead, although the group was unsure as to why it was there in the first place.

"So, the next town on the map is Camphrier town, right?" said Ash.

"That's righty!" said Rotom. "It shouldn't take too long to get there!"

"You know," said Brock, "I'm glad we have you to guide us, Rotom. If Ash were leading us, we'd be hopelessly lost by now."

Ash groaned. "Come on, Brock. I'm not that bad."

"Yes you are," said Brock. "You're absolutely terrible at finding directions."

Serena, Brock, and Rotom all laughed at Ash's moaning, while Pikachu patted his trainer's head.

"Well," said Rotom, "as long as we don't get caught up in any weird stuff, we should be right as long as-"

"Wahoo!"

Momentarily surprised by the sudden shout, Ash and the others looked upwards to see a figure sliding down the railing. Just before it could reach the end, it jumped off and flew through the air, landing right in front of them.

"I challenge you to a battle!"

Standing before them was a girl, older than Ash or Serena but younger than Brock, with light blonde hair and gray eyes. She was wearing a red and white dress, with a pair of black shorts underneath, as well as a helmet and a pair of gloves. Her hair was divided into a trio of ponytails; one large one that sprouted out from the back of her head, as well as two smaller ones that were poking out of the openings in her helmet. Finally, she wore a pair of roller blades on her feet.

For a moment, the group looked on in surprise. Then, Ash grinned and stepped up.

"If it's a battle you want, then I'll be happy to give it!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu added with determination.

"Fantastic!" the girl said before turning away. "Lucario!"

Another figure burst out of a nearby bush and landed next to the girl. It was a blue bipedal Pokémon with black and and legs and a light yellow torso. It had a spike protruding from its chest, as well as one spike on each hand. Its head had a black mask like pattern covering its red eyes and long nose, as well as a pair of pointy ears. Finally, it had a pair of ponytail-like protrusions coming out from behind its head, and a long blue tail.

"Who's that Pokémon?" Ash asked out loud.

"I got it!" Rotom said as he floated up to scan the newcomer. " _Lucario, the Aura Pokémon. Lucario can not only perceive auras, but it has also has the power to control them and use them in battle_ _._ This makes other Pokémon really jealous, and they never invite Lucario to any parties!"

Lucario huffed angrily at the Pokedex, while the girl stared at the Pokedex in confusion.

"Is that a Pokedex or a Pokémon?"

"Both," said Ash. "Long story short, my Pokedex got possessed by a Rotom."

The girl blinked, the shrugged.

"I guess stranger things have happened."

She and her partner both got into a fighting stance.

"Enough talk! It's time to get to our battle!"

With a big grin, Ash and Pikachu got into a similar stance.

"Oh, you're on!"

For a moment, the two trainers stared each other down, as their Pokémon did the same. There was nothing but determination in their eyes, each one prepared to fight for victory.

Then, the girl's stomachs began to growl, as did Lucario's. They both grabbed their bellies in embarrassment.

"Oh," the girl said as she began to blush. "Sorry about that. We were so ready to get a battle today that we forgot to have breakfast."

"Lucario!"

Ash and his friends began to chuckle nervously at the sight.

* * *

"Oh my gosh! This is so delicious!"

"Luuu!"

The trainer and her Lucario happily chowed down on Brock's stew. The girl had taken her helmet off, giving her a bit more freedom as she ate.

"Yeah, no doubt about it," Ash said as he looked up from his own bowl. "Brock is the best cook ever!"

"Well, I can't deny that it's delicious!" the girl said as she put down her bowl. "Seriously, that was amazing!"

"Thanks," said Brock. "I'm happy you're enjoying it, miss…"

"Shalour," the girl said. "Korrina Shalour."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Korrina," said Ash. "My name's Ash Ketchum, and this is my buddy Pikachu!"

"Pikachu!"

"Same here," said Serena. "I'm Serena Gabena, and this is Fennekin!"

"Fenn!"

"And, of course, I'm Brock Peterson," said Brock.

"It's nice to meet you all," said Korrina. "And it's so nice of you all to share this food with us!"

As the group continued to eat, a random thought occurred to Ash.

"Hey, Korrina? You said your last name was Shalour? Like the City?"

Korrina nodded. "Oh yeah. One if my ancestors was actually the founder."

The others gasped.

"Really?" said Ash. "How did that happen?"

"It's actually really interesting," said Korrina. "According to legend, he had a Lucario, just like mine. And they traveled together, searching for a way to become stronger together. Then, one day, they found a pair of stones that were glowing with energy. When they touched the stones, the power of their friendship reacted with the stones, and Lucario was changed. And that was how Mega Evolution was discovered!"

The group listened to Korrina's story in awe.

"So, your ancestors were the ones who discovered Mega Evolution?" Serena asked.

"That's what they say," said Korrina. "In any case, my ancestors have watched over Shalour City for centuries, both as Successors to the knowledge of Mega Evolution, and as Gym Leaders."

Ash's attention was caught immediately.

"Gym Leaders?" he said as he dropped his spoon.

"Yep," said Korrina. "All the Leaders of the Shalour City Gym have been members of my family. In fact, my Grandpa is the current Leader, and I'm expected to take up that mantle one day, so I guess you could say that I'm a Gym Leader in training."

"Wow!" said Ash. "That sounds so cool!"

"Pikachu!"

"It sure is," Korrina said as she lifted her left hand, showing off a strange stone that was sewn onto her glove. "That's why my Grandpa gave me this. Can you guess what it is?"

Ash and his friends took a look at the stone. It was a brightly colored transparent stone with a strange twisting symbol visible inside. But what amazed them the most was the feeling of recognition they all got when they saw it. It felt like they had seen a similar stone before.

Then, Serena's face lit up with recognition.

"Of course! When Ash fought Viola in Santalune, she had a stone like that in her camera!"

"Oh yeah!" said Ash. "She used it to Mega Evolve her Beedrill!"

"So that must mean that it's a Key Stone!" said Brock. "Remember that Professor Sycamore said they were necessary for Mega Evolution to happen!"

"Yup!" said Korrina. "It's tradition for the Gym Leader of the Shalour Gym to have a Pokemon that can Mega Evolve, so Grandpa's taught me a lot about it! Also, he wants me and Lucario to have a strong bond together, so that we can continue to keep the legacy of Shalour City strong!"

The rest of the group stared at Korrina in awe as she looked at her Key Stone fondly.

"That's part of the reason why I'm out here. I want to prove that I'm strong enough to take the place of Gym Leader, so I'm trying to get a streak of one hundred wins in a row."

"Gee, that sounds hard," said Serena. "How many have you gotten so far?"

The blonde haired girl's face suddenly paled, as did Lucario's.

"Well… I had nine earlier…"

Ash blinked. "Oh. So… now?"

Korrina groaned, and Lucario sighed as he patted her on the back.

"Eight," she said finally. "I have eight wins in a row right now."

"Lu-car-car," Lucario said encouragingly.

Ash and his friends looked at each other, unsure of what to say to her in this situation. Before they could, however, Korrina looked up with a determined grin.

"No matter! I'll just have to regain my winning streak! And it starts by defeating you, Ash Ketchum!"

Ash grinned. "No way! I'm the one who's going to win this battle!"

"Pikapika!"

The others watched in amusement as the two trainers and their Pokémon argued over who was going to win.

"Well," said Serena, "if you want to battle that badly, then you should probably finish eating first.

Pausing for a moment, Ash looked down at his unfinished bowl, while Korrina did the same. Then, they both began to shove the remaining food down their throats, causing everyone else to laugh.

* * *

Soon afterwards, the two trainers had moved towards the park's field. Their Pokémon had joined them as well, ready for a good battle.

"This will be a one-on-one battle between Ash and Korrina," Brock announced. "The battle will be over once either Pokémon is unable to battle!"

"Alright!" Ash said as he looked down towards Pikachu. "Are you ready for this, buddy?"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu said as he pumped his fists.

Across the field, Korrina was giving Lucario a similar pep talk.

"We're going to get our win streak back, Lucario! And then, we're going to get all our one hundred victories!"

"Lucario!" her partner said in agreement.

With that, both Pokémon ran out onto the field. Seeing that they were ready, Brock gave the command.

"Battle begin!"

Both trainers gave their orders at the same time.

"Thunderbolt!"

"Power-up Punch!"

Pikachu shot out a huge blast of electricity, which went flying towards Lucario. The aura Pokémon dodged it just in time, and sent a fist cloaked in orange energy at him.

"Dodge it with Quick Attack!"

Pikachu's speed increased greatly as he ran out of range. Lucario growled, then took off after his opponent.

"Bone Rush, Lucario!"

The bipedal canid put his hands together as blue energy flowed through them. The energy extended to the sides, forming into the shape of a bone.

"Get that Pikachu!"

"Fight back with Thunderbolt!"

Lucario ran after his opponent, swinging the blue bone with great power. Pikachu responded with a blast of electrical energy, which went flying towards his opponent. However, the Aura Pokémon swung his bone into the attack, catching all the energy and causing it to dissipate.

"What just happened?" Serena asked in shock.

"Bone Rush is a ground type move," explained Brock. "Therefore, it resists electric type attacks, and blocks them out!"

Surprised by Lucario's block, Pikachu had no time to notice Lucario's glowing fist. As a result, he was taken by surprise when he was punched hard enough to send him skidding backwards. He winced a bit as he got back up, only to see Lucario's body glowing slightly.

"Alright!" Korrina called. "That Power-up Punch made your attack go up! Now take him down with Bone Rush!"

Pikachu had no time to react as Lucario charged up another blue bone. He yelped as Lucario smacked him, sending him flying into the air. As he looked downwards, he could see the blue canid preparing to hi him again.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled. "Magnet Rise!"

"What?!"

Pikachu gritted his teeth as he surrounded himself with an electrical field, causing him to stop falling. He then pulled out his tail and began to surf on the field, much to the shock of his opponents.

"Okay, Pikachu!" Ash yelled. "Now get in close to Lucario and use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu cried out in determination as he descended, getting closer to Lucario. The Aura Pokemon swung his bony club in an attempt to hit him, but Pikachu flew upwards just before the attack could hit. Once the bone was out of the way, the yellow rodent blasted out a huge electrical current, causing his opponent to cry out in pain. With his energy redirected into the attack, Pikachu's Magnet Rise petered out, and he landed on the ground behind Lucario.

"Lucario!" Korrina yelled. "Are you okay?!"

Her partner grimaced as he got up to his feet. He was clearly in pain, but still able to fight.

"Alright, Lucario!" said Korrina. "Use Power-Up Punch!"

"Dodge it with Quick Attack!"

The blue canid growled as his fist glowed. Pikachu's speed increased massively as he jumped out of the way, and he rushed all around Lucario, skillfully evading the many punches thrown at him.

"Now use Thunderbolt again!"

Pikachu cried out as he unleashed another blast of electricity. Before it could connect, however, Lucario summoned another bone and blocked out the attack. Then, too quick for Pikachu or his trainer to react, he swung the bone into the yellow rodent, sending him flying across the field.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried as his partner landed. He quickly rushed to the mouse Pokemon, only to find him clearly knocked out.

"Pikaaaa…"

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" Brock declared. "This match goes to Korrina and Lucario!"

"Yeah!" Korrina said as she and Lucario gave each other a high-five. "We've gotten back up to nine!"

Ash sighed as he picked Pikachu up, then smiled as he petted his partner on the head.

"You did great, buddy. It's just that they were a bit stronger than us."

"Pikaaa…"

Ash smiled, then looked up to see Korrina and Lucario walking up to him.

"That was a great battle, Ash," said Korrina. "Even if you lost, you were still a great opponent. You took me and Lucario by surprise for a moment or two!"

"Thanks," said Ash. "You were great too! Not to mention you're one win closer to 100, right?"

"Yeah!" said Korrina. "I know I'll get that win streak now!"

"Luuu!"

* * *

Little did the group realize that they were being watched by some less than desirable individuals.

"Interesting," Jessie said as she adjusted her binoculars. "So that's the granddaughter of the Shalour Gym Leader?"

"It appears so," said James. "Therefore, it's likely that she knows a lot about the mysteries of Mega Evolution."

"And so that's why we were ordered to capture her," said Meowth. "It would have been real helpful if we'd been able to do it before the twerps got to her!"

"Yes," said James, "that's going to complicate things."

"Well," said Jessie, "in the worst case scenario, I guess we can always say that we were overwhelmed by the sheer strength of a future Gym Leader."

"Wobbbuffet!"

The trio sighed as they put down their binoculars, then grabbed their equipment. It was time to get to work.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ash and his friends were sitting back at the table, resting up after the battle.

"Feeling better, buddy?"

"Chaaa!" Pikachu cried as he looked up from the Sitrus Berry he'd been eating. The restorative effects of the berry had done wonders for the little yellow Pokemon, and he now felt much better.

"That's great," said Ash. "Even if you didn't win, you still did great!"

"Of course you did," said Serena. "You did such a great job, Pikachu!"

"Pika!" Pikachu said happily.

Ash smiled, then looked back up to Korrina.

"So, what are you going to do now, Korrina?"

"Oh, I dunno," the blonde haired girl said. "I mean, I still have a lot of battles to win before I have a hundred in a row. Right now, I need to beat my current record and get my tenth win. Which remind me…"

Korrina pulled a book out of her backpack and opened it up. She then took Pikachu's hand, surprising him, and then grabbed a nearby bottle of ketchup. She then poured it over the mouse Pokemon's paw, then stamped it onto a blank page of her book. The rest of the group stared in confusion as she looked at her new stamp with pride.

"There!" she said. Then, upon realizing that she'd done so without any explanation, she blushed and turned to the group.

"Sorry about that. It's just… something I do to remember all the battles I've had."

The trainers blinked, then shrugged.

"Well, I guess that's fine," said Ash. "I mean, Pikachu's not complaining."

The other turned to Pikachu, who was now happily licking at his ketchup-coated paw. The others looked at him, then laughed.

"Well," said Korrina, "I'm glad that we've all gotten something out of it, even if it's just a bit of-"

Before she could say anything else, there was a sudden burst of light as a device exploded around them. A field of energy then flowed from the device, encasing the whole group quicker than they could react.

"What?!" yelled Korrina. "What's going on?!"

Three familiar laughs rung out through the area. As the group looked in the direction of the sudden voices, they were greeted by the sight of the Team Rocket trio.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"And James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

"Wobbuffet!"

As the trio finished their motto, the group inside the energy prison looked on angrily.

"Team Rocket!" said Ash. "Of course you'd try to steal Pikachu now!"

Korrina blinked. "You know these guys?"

"They're bad guys who steal other people's Pokemon," Brock explained. "And they're particularly obsessed with Pikachu!"

"Oh, shut it, twerp," said Jessie. "For your information, our presence in Kalos has nothing to do with Pikachu!"

"Indeed," said James. "And right now, we're under orders to kidnap that young future Gym Leader friend of yours!"

"What?!" said Korrina. "What do you want from me?!"

"Ain't it obvious?" said Meowth. "Your grandpa knows everything about Mega Evolution, so you should definitely know plenty about it too! And if not, we can just go out and ask your dear old gramps all about it!"

Korrina blinked. "Did that Meowth just talk?"

"No way!" said Ash. "We're not letting you take Korrina!"

"Big words from a little twerp!" said James. "Well, guess what? That barrier is impenetrable! So no matter what you do, you can't break out of it!"

"We'll see about that!" said Korrina. "Lucario! Bone Rush!"

"Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"

Lucario roared as he began to slam the energy field with his Bone Rush attack, as did Pikachu as he blasted it with Thunderbolt. The two attacks slammed against the wall, but ultimately did nothing to damage it.

"See?" said Jessie. "You can't get out of there! So why don't you just give up and come quietly?"

"We're not giving up!" said Korrina. "We'll get out of here one way or another!"

"Good luck with that, twerps!" said Meowth. "You can't get through those walls!"

"How about below them?"

The trio froze for a moment, then looked out from behind them. Sure enough, Ash was standing right next to a large hole, right next to a determined looking Larvitar.

"Huh," said Jessie. "Somehow, it completely slipped my mind that you could do that."

"Same here" said James. "We really should have made that barrier have a floor as well."

"Well, that's something to remember for next time," said Meowth.

A moment later, Korrina emerged from the hole, followed by Lucario and Pikachu. Soon after that, Serena came out, followed by Brock.

"Well, this certainly complicates things," Jessie said as she grabbed a Pokeball.

"Looks like we'll have to do this the hard way," James said as he grabbed two Pokeballs.

"Arbok!"

"Weezing! Inkay!"

With a flash, three Pokemon appeared. The two poison types were familiar to Ash, but the third, a blue and gray cephalopod creature, was new.

"Who's that Pokemon?"

"Gotcha!" said Rotom as he jumped out of Ash's pocket and scanned the new Pokemon. " _Inkay, the Revolving Pokemon. Inkay flashes the light-emitting spots on its body, which drains its opponent's will to fight. It takes the opportunity to scuttle away and hide_ , like the little scaredy-cat that it is!"

"Hey!" said Meowth. "I resemble that remark!"

"Who's that Pokémon?" said Jessie. "Or is it a Pokedex?"

"I don't know," said James. "It looks somewhat familiar, though."

"Who cares?!" said Meowth. "Stick to the plan!"

"Got it!" said James. "Inkay, Psybeam! Weezing, Smog!"

"Arbok, Poison Tail!"

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash called out. "Larvitar, Hidden Power!"

"Lucario!" Korrina ordered. "Bone Rush!"

Pikachu and Lucario rushed towards Weezing, who blasted them with poisonous gas. Fortunately, Lucario stepped in to block it out, his steel typing negating the effects. In response, Inkay fired a beam of psychic energy at him, causing him to step back somewhat. He quickly recovered, however, and summoned an energy bone which he swung as hard as he could. Inkay just barely dodged it, only to be hit by a blast of electricity.

Meanwhile, Larvitar and Arbok were trading blows furiously. Larvitar was firing off spheres of energy as his opponent slammed her glowing purple tail around. Neither of them had managed to score a successful blow, however, and they were both trying to get an advantage.

"Okay!" Jessie yelled. "Wobbuffet! Step in and Counter those attacks!"

"Wobba!" Wobbuffet cried as he jumped in. His body then glowed as a Hidden Power attack crashed into him. The attack then began to grow, then went flying back to Larvitar. The rock skin Pokémon gasped as his own attack was sent hurtling towards him.

"Laaaar!" Larvitar cried as he was blasted backwards. Fortunately, Ash was able to catch him before he could hit the ground.

"Okay," said Brock as he grabbed a Pokeball. "I'm stepping in! Chespin! Let's go!"

"You too," Fennekin!" said Serena. "Let's do it!"

"Same here!" said Ash. "Froakie! I choose you!"

With a flash of light, the three Kalos starters popped out. They growled as they spotted their enemies, ready to fight.

"Alright, Chespin!" said Brock. "Use Pin Missile!"

"Fennekin!" Serena called. "Use Ember!"

"Froakie!" Ash commanded. "Use Water Pulse!"

The three starters fired off their attacks; Chespin aiming at Inkay, Fennekin at Weezing, and Froakie at Arbok. The three Rocket Pokémon were sent backwards by the force of the attacks, landing right next to their trainers.

"Ugh!" Jessie yelled. "Wobbuffet! Coun-"

Before Jessie could finish her command, Lucario rushed up to the blue balloon like Pokémon and slammed a pair of glowing metallic claws into him. Wobbuffet yelped as he flew into his teammates, knocking them into a heap on the floor.

"Alright, Pikachu!" said Ash. "Zap them with Thunderbolt!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried as his cheeks sparked with electricity. "Pikaaaachuuuuu!"

A huge bolt flew out of Pikachu's body and hit Team Rocket. The group screamed in pain before the air around them exploded.

"Now this is unfair!" Jessie yelled as they flew through the air. "We weren't even trying to steal Pikachu this time!"

"Or the last time, for that matter," muttered Meowth.

"Well," said James. "I guess the twerp is just a bad omen for Team Rocket."

"And now we're blasting off agaaaaaain!" the trio cried as they vanished into the distance.

Back on the ground, Ash and his friends cheered.

"Alright!" Ash said as Pikachu, Froakie, and Larvitar all joined up at his feet. "You guys all did great!"

"Pikachu!"

"Froakie!"

"Larvitar!"

As Brock and Serena congratulated their respective Pokémon, Korrina and Lucario stared blankly into the sky.

"We did it, Lucario… we got ten wins in a row…"

"Carr…"

Then, they hugged each other and cheered.

"Lucario! We finally got up to ten wins in a row!"

"Lu-Lucario!"

Then, a horrified look appeared on Korrina's face.

"Oh no! I forgot to get their footprints!"

The others turned towards her, surpriswd by her outburst. Then, Ash spoke up.

"Don't worry about it too much. Knowing them, they're probably going to try again, so you can get a footprint then."

Everyone began to laugh.

* * *

"Well, that was fun," said Korrina. "I really enjoyed everything. The meal, the battle, and the random attempted kidnapping."

The group laughed at the remark.

"So, what are you going to do now, Korrina?" asked Serena.

"Oh, you know," the blonde haired girl said. "Lucario and I will continue to build up our win streak. "If we're lucky, we won't lose again. That would be so much worse now."

"Lucario!"

Korrina nodded. "And what about you guys? What are you going to do?"

Ash grinned. "I'm going to keep challenging the Gyms of the Kalos region. Then I'm going to challenge the Kalos League, and then I'm going to win!"

"Pika!"

"Cool!" said Korrina. "I guess that means that you're going to challenge my Grandpa eventually!"

"Huh," Ash said as a thoughtful look formed on his face. "I guess I will."

Then, an idea popped into his head, and he grinned.

"Hey, Korrina? Why don't you travel with us?"

Korrina looked at him in surprise, as did the rest of the group. Ash, however, continued to smile.

"Think about it, Korrina. You and Lucario could get a lot stronger if you had some friends to train with. Not to mention that we're headed in the same direction anyway, so we might as well go together. And besides, it's always more fun to travel with friends!"

He then grinned. "Not to mention that, with our luck, we're likely to run into those three again. It would be a great chance to get those footprints!"

A thoughtful look formed on Korrina's face, as the others looked at each other. Ever since Brock had joined them, they hadn't expected any more additions to their party. Still, they enjoyed Korrina's presence, and they really wanted to learn more about Mega Evolution.

Then, the blonde girl spoke up.

"And you guys wouldn't mind?"

Serena looked at Ash and Brock, then smiled.

"I don't think it would be a problem."

"Me neither," said Brock.

Satisfied, Korrina turned to her partner, and they nodded at each other before turning back.

"Okay then! We'll tag along with you!"

Ash and his friends grinned, and Ash gave her a thumbs up.

"Well, then it's great to have you on our team, Korrina!" Ash said happily.

"Pika!"

"Yeah, no doubt about that!" said Serena. "We're going to have a lot of fun!"

"I'm glad to hear that!" said Korrina. "So, I'm guessing we're going to Camphrier town now?"

"Yeah," said Brock. "We were heading there before we ran into you so-"

"I got it!" said Rotom as he popped out of Ash's pocket. "Camphrier Town is right this way!"

The possessed device then floated forwards, slowly leaving the trainers and their Pokemon behind.

"Hey!" Ash yelled. "You can't just leave us like that!"

"Pikachu!"

"Why not?!" Rotom shot back. "You guys are way too slow for me to wait on you!"

"That's it!" Serena yelled. "Come back here!"

Rotom rushed off laughing while Serena, Ash, and Pikachu chased after it. Korrina and Lucario watched the scene blankly, before they turned to Brock

"Is this… common?"

"Lucario?"

Brock chuckled. "Oh, you have no idea."

* * *

 ** _A/N: Let's be honest: when you saw the chapter title, you all thought it was going to be about Clemont._**

 ** _Anyway, this was an idea that came to me early in the planning of the story, and never let go. Honestly, I feel there's a lot I can do with Korrina, so I've decided to add her to the group, at least for now. Depending on how people react, she may or may not stay._**

 ** _I have to admit, I originally didn't like Korrina's anime voice (in the dub, at least… I never paid much attention to the Japanese version of the anime, so I dunno about that). Over time, however, it's really grown on me. I just wish I could say the same about Shauna's voice._**

 ** _Speaking of Shauna, she and Calem are set to return soon. I mean, come on. Camphrier town is right next door to Parfum Palace, the BrightTomorrowShipping capital of the world._**

 ** _Also, since nobody except Ash has any last name (because apparently nobody cares about them), I had to get a bit creative. For Serena, I gave her the same last name as her Manga counterpart, Yvonne. For Korrina, I figured that, being descended from one of the founders of Shalour City, she'd be likely to have a last name that was either identical or at the very least similar. Brock was a bit trickier, but I eventually settled on_** **Peterson** ** _, since_** **Peter** ** _is derived from_** **Petra** ** _, the Latin word for rock._**

 ** _Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter, and see you next time._**


	22. Royalty of Old

Camphrier Town was a town full of historical significance. The whole settlement was surrounded by large brick walls that had been standing for centuries, and most of the buildings were also very old. The outskirts of the town held the famous Shabboneau Castle, which was rich with heirlooms and treasures, and not far off from that was Parfum Palace, which was once once the home of the Kalos Royalty.

Needless to say, none of these were of any interest to Ash.

"I just want to get to the next gym!" he groaned.

"Pikapii…" Pikachu said with a sigh.

"Come on, Ash," said Serena. "Enjoy some of the local culture! Check out some of the landmarks, get to know the people, and experience something more than just battles!"

"Ash blinked as he turned to his crush. He then smiled mareepishly as his face went red.

"Okay, Serena."

Pikachu giggled. Not far behind them, Brock smirked, while Korrina and Lucario watched with great curiosity.

"So, Brock? What exactly is the deal with Ash and Serena?"

"Well," said Brock, "they were childhood friends who were separated for a long time. They actually just found each other a few months ago."

"Oh, okay," said Korrina. "So… are they, you know, a couple?"

"Not yet," said Brock. "But Ash definitely likes Serena, and I'm pretty sure she likes him too, so it's only a matter of time, really."

"I see," said Korrina, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Car, car," said Lucario.

The group looked around, admiring the town's architecture, as well as the many decorations that were being set up. In particular, many of the buildings had banners, posters and flags hung up depicting a familiar bulky Pokemon.

"Wow, they sure have a lot of Snorlax decorations," said Serena. "I sure wonder why."

Before anyone else could comment on the Snorlax decorations, an unexpected voice spoke out.

"There's actually a really interesting story behind that, if you're interested.

The group turned around at the voice, and were pleasantly surprised to see Calem and Shauna walking towards them.

"Calem!" said Ash.

"And Shauna too!" said Serena.

"Hey guys," said Calem. "It's good to see you again!"

Ash grinned as he shook Calem's hand, while Serena gave Shauna a high-five.

"So, what brings you to Camphrier Town?" asked Serena.

"Well," Calem explained, "Camphrier Town has a Showcase hall, and Shauna is really eager to have her Showcase debut. And fortunately for us, they're having a Pokemon Showcase tomorrow."

"That sounds great!" said Serena. "After last time, I was really amazed by how Performers and Pokemon worked together to inspire the crowd. It was so amazing!"

"Yeah!" said Shauna. "I know I'm going to win my first Princess Key!"

Calem chuckled, then noticed the two new trainers.

"Oh hey Brock. Nice to see you again. And I don't believe that we've met…"

"Korrina," the blonde girl answered. "I'm the granddaughter of Gurkinn Shalour, the Gym Leader of Shalour City. And this is my partner, Lucario."

"Lucario!"

"The granddaughter of Gurkinn?" said Calem. "That's cool! I'm guessing that you're out on a journey of your own right now, and you met up with these guys and joined their team?"

"Exactly," said Korrina. "Lucario and I are trying to get a win streak of 100. Once we've achieved that, we'll be ready for Mega Evolution!"

"Car-Cario!"

"Oh yeah, I've heard that your family has quite a history with Mega Evolution," said Calem.

"That sounds so cool!" said Shauna. "Mega Evolution sounds amazing!"

"It really is," said Korrina. "So, what exactly is up with all the Snorlax Merch?"

"Oh yeah, that," said Calem. "See this town and Snorlax have a mutually beneficial relationship. When the town has finished its annual harvest, Snorlax travels down from the mountains to feed on all the roots that are left over. As it eats, it moves through the soil, moving it around and aerating it, making it more fertile and ensuring a good harvest next year. To thank Snorlax for its hard work, the townspeople then hold a festival in which they put aside a whole bunch of fruit for Snorlax to eat while the lord of Shabboneau Castle plays the Poke Flute. Then Snorlax returns to the hills, satisfied for one more year.

"Wow," said Serena. "So, Snorlax must be very important around here."

"Yeah," said Ash. "I can imagine my Snorlax being really happy to live here."

The whole group laughed together for a moment.

"So," said Shauna, "since we have time, why don't we go explore? I'm really excited to see everything!"

"Of course!" said Serena. "I really want to see Shabboneau Castle and Parfum Palace!"

Ash shrugged. While he wasn't too interested in seeing the sights, he didn't want to disappoint Serena. A quick look at Calem told him that the older boy felt the same way.

"Well then," said Calem. "Shall we go?"

"Okay!" Serena and Shauna said together.

* * *

A short while later, the group arrived at Shabboneau Castle. Serena and Shauna cried out in glee as they looked around at the magnificence of the ancient building, while Brock, Korrina, and Lucario simply looked around in fascination. Calem and Ash hung back behind them, not particularly interested in the history behind the castle.

"Okay," said Ash, "so it's an old castle. Why did we agree to come here?"

"Because we didn't want to disappoint our respective girlfriends?"

Ash fell over, and Pikachu began to giggle.

"What?!" he said as he got back up. "Serena's not my girlfriend!"

"But you want her to be, don't you?" Calem said with a cheeky grin on his face.

"I… maybe," Ash said as his face grew red. Unfortunately for him, Rotom chose that exact moment to pop out of his pocket.

"Aww, poor Ashy. He's sad because he doesn't have the guts to confess to his girlfriend!"

"You shut it!" Ash hissed, hoping that Serena hadn't heard anything. Meanwhile, Calem and Pikachu were cracking up.

"So, how long before you ask her out?" Rotom asked. "I mean, sooner or later, some handsome young stud is going to swoop in and-"

Serena and the others turned around to see Ash chasing angrily after a laughing Rotom, all while Calem and Pikachu laughed hysterically.

"What's gotten into them?" asked Serena.

"I have an idea," Brock said with a thoughtful look on her face. "But it's probably better if I don't say it."

"Why not?" asked Shauna. "I mean, it looks like something funny, since everyone except Ash is laughing."

Before Brock could answer, a new voice interrupted them.

"Hello there. I take it you're here to learn about the Snorlax festival as well?"

The group turned to see a woman with brown hair and green eyes. She was wearing a black and red vest, gray pants, and brown shoes, and she had a small black and yellow Pokemon on her shoulder.

"Yeah, I guess so," said Serena. "Although, I guess we mostly want to learn about the history of the castle in general."

"Well, that's great too," the woman said. "It's great to be curious about the big events of the past.

She then gave a quick bow. "It's good to meet you all. My name is Alexa, and this is Helioptile."

"Helioptile!"

"Hello, Alexa," said Serena. "My name's Serena."

"My name is Shauna," said Shauna. "Your Pokemon's a cutie!"

"Helio!" Helioptile said with glowing cheeks.

"Pleased to meet you," said Korrina. "I'm Korrina, and this is Lucario."

"Car-Car!" Lucario said happily.

Alexa the turned towards Brock, only to be taken by surprise when he grabbed her by the hands.

"Why hello, Alexa! My name is Brock!"

Alexa blinked in surprise.

"Uh, hello?" she asked uncertainly.

"I must say that you are looking lovely today!"

"W-What?"

Ash and Rotom stopped and turned towards their squinty-eyed friend.

"Uh oh," Rotom said as its eyes narrowed. "Annoyance detected!"

Ash groaned. "Poor Brock."

"Poor him?!" said Rotom. "I'm the one who has to keep him under control!"

The possessed Pokedex the rushed forwards with two electrified arms. It then slammed them into Brock and sent a huge current through his body. Brock screamed in pain, then landed in front of Alexa as everyone else watched in shock.

"Although," Rotom added, "I cannot deny that I get a certain satisfaction from zapping the guy whenever he gets in trouble."

* * *

"Do you understand your mission?" the figure asked the two operatives.

"Absolutely," the one on the left said. "And we are absolutely going to succeed!"

"You'd better," the figure before them said. "After the failure to capture the Gym Leader's granddaughter, I've been in a particularly bad mood. And I will be much less forgiving of mistakes."

"Oh, please," the second operative said. "The only reason that mission failed was because you sent those two idiots and their talking cat. If you'd sent some actual competent agents, the mission would have been a success!"

"I don't care what the reasons are," their supervisor said. "I want this mission to be successful, and I will not tolerate any failure. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal!"

* * *

Once Brock had gotten back to his feet, Ash and Calem introduced themselves to Alexa.

"It's nice to meet you both," said Alexa.

"Helio! Helio!"

Pikachu tilted his head slightly, looking at the strange new Pokemon curiously. The other Pokemon cried out happily, giving him a joyful smile, which Pikachu quickly returned.

"Nice Helioptile," said Calem.

"Helioptile?" said Ash as he looked at Alexa's Pokemon.

"That's right," said Calem. "It's actually the pre-evolved form of Heliolisk."

"Oh yeah," Ash said as he remembered the electric type that Calem had used in their battle.

"Ooh! I got it!"

Before anyone could complain, Rotom buzzed up to them and began to scan.

" _Helioptile, the Generator Pokemon. Helioptile makes its home in deserts. They can generate their energy from basking in the sun, so eating food is not a requirement_ _._ Which means that giving it ice cream or pizza or other treats is a huge waste of money!"

Helioptile blasted a small bolt of electricity at Rotom, who flew away laughing.

"...Anyway!" Alexa clapped her hands, hoping to forget what had just happened. "Have any of you gotten the Bug Badge yet?"

"Me and Ash," said Calem as he pulled out his badge case and displayed the shiny badge.

"Yep," Ash said as he showed off his own badge. "It was the first Kalos Badge either of us got."

"Very impressive," said Alexa. "You must be pretty skilled trainers to defeat my little sister."

"Viola is your sister?" Ash asked in surprise.

"Oh yes," said Alexa. "She gives a lot of trainers a hard fight, especially if they're going for their first badge."

"Oh yeah," said Ash. "She was tough. Especially when her Beedrill Mega Evolved."

Alexa blinked. "You actually got her to use Mega Evolution?"

"Wow," said Calem, admiration clear in his voice. "That's amazing! Even I didn't get her to use any Mega Evolution!"

Ash chuckled Mareepishly. "Well, I guess we were pretty good. Although I would have thought that you'd have seen a Mega Evolution too, Calem. I mean, your team is pretty strong."

Calem shrugged. "Well, I was using some of my less experienced Pokemon. I wanted them to gain some experience."

"Oh, I see," said Ash.

Shauna's eyes went wide as she turned towards Serena.

"So, you guys actually got to see a Mega Evolving Pokemon?"

"Oh yeah," said Serena. "It was amazing! Beedrill wasn't just a lot stronger, but faster too!"

"Wow!" said Shauna. "So cool!"

Before anything else could be said, the were interrupted by a voice.

"No! Nonononono! Where is it?!"

Surprised, the group turned around to see a short, roundish man running around frantically. He was dressed like a stereotypical king, with a red cape, clothes that had been out of fashion for centuries, and a little gold crown on his head. He was looking all around, yet whatever he was looking for remained elusive.

"My lord."

The group then saw a second man, who was much taller and leaner. He was also dressed in somewhat outdated clothes, albeit not to the extent of the first.

"I think it's high time you asked for some help," the taller man said. "You know quite well who is responsible."

The short man stopped for a moment his eyes wide. He then closed his eyes and took a deep sigh.

"Perhaps you are right. But who should I even ask? You know as well as I do how Princess Allie-"

" _Lady_ Allie."

"Don't say that!" the short man hissed. "You know how she gets when people refer to her as anything other than a princess!"

"Which doesn't change the fact that she is most certainly not a prin-"

"Do you want to incur her wrath?!" the short man said, his eyes full of terror.

Unable to contain their curiosity any more, Ash and the others walked up to the duo.

"Uh, hello?"

The two men immediately stopped arguing and turned to the group, one in mild surprise, and the other in sheer terror.

"Ah!" the shorter man cried. "Are you here to tell Princess Allie about our failures?"

Ash blinked. "Who?"

Immediately, the short man sighed in relief. His companion took the chance to speak.

"I am sorry about that. Allow me to present the Lord of Shabboneau Castle: Lord Shabboneau."

"Wow, I never would have guessed," muttered Calem, eliciting a giggle from Shauna.

"And, of course, I am his butler" the man continued. "Usually, at this time of year, Lord Shabboneau is getting ready to play the Poke Flute for Snorlax at the festival. Unfortunately, this time there appears to have been a… complication."

"Complication?" Alexa asked. "What does that mean?"

"Well," said Lord Shabboneau, "You see… my flute… it...it's gone missing!"

Everyone gasped.

"Missing?!" Ash repeated. "How could it have gone missing?"

"It appears," the butler said, "that the Poke Flute has been taken by Lady Allie-"

" _Princess_!"

" _Lady_ Allie, the daughter of the Lord of Parfum Palace."

"What?!"

"I'm so sorry!" said Lord Shabboneau. "Any time Princess Allie sees something she wants, she takes it without waiting for permission! And the last time we saw her, she talked about how pretty she thought the Poke Flute was, so she must have been the one who took it!"

"What a jerk!" said Shauna. "You can't just go around taking stuff from other people!"

"Regardless," said the Butler, "Lady Allie will most likely be unwilling to give the flute back without plenty of persuasion."

Ash frowned. He didn't like it when people took things that didn't belong to them. He'd had plenty of experience with greedy and selfish individuals, particularly in the form of a stubbornly persistent trio, and he didn't want to see other be victims as well. Thus, it wasn't particularly hard to come to a decision.

"We'll get the flute back!"

The rest of the group looked at him in surprise. Lord Shabboneau, on the other hand, had an overjoyed look on his face.

"Oh! You'd do that for me?"

"I think he's doing it more for the people of Camphrier town," his butler muttered.

"Regardless of who I'm helping, I can't just let someone take something that doesn't belong to them," said Ash. "So we're going to get that flute back!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

Serena looked at Ash, then smiled.

"You're right, Ash. We can't let Allie get away with this!"

Calem and Shauna looked at each other, then nodded. They then turned to face Ash and Serena.

"We're going too!" said Shauna. "It's really rude to steal stuff like that!"

"Yeah," said Calem. "We can't just stand by while there's a problem!"

Lord Shabboneau grinned from ear to ear. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I will be so happy if you help me get the flute back! Not to mention that the festival will be able to continue as planned!"

Ash smiled, then turned back towards Brock and Korrina.

"What about you guys? Are you coming?"

Brock shrugged. "I think you guys have it handled. I think I'll stay here and keep Lord Shabboneau happy."

Rotom chose that moment to pop out of Ash's pocket.

"You just want an excuse to have time alone with Alexa, don't you?"

A drop of sweat rolled down Brock's forehead. "Uhh… Nooo?"

Korrina giggled. "Well, if it helps, I'll stay here and watch over him."

"Lucar-car," Lucario added.

Rotom grinned. "Okie Dokie! Make sure to tell me if Brocky Boy is naughty so I can give him a god zapping!"

Brock whimpered, and everyone else laughed.

* * *

Parfum Palace was truly a sight to behold. The ancient building was vast, rising several stories above the ground, and stretching out across hundreds of feet. Behind it stood a vast courtyard, full of various statues, hedge mazes, fountains, and even a battlefield.

Ash and his friends now stood at the entrance of the Palace, waiting for an answer as they knocked on the gates.

"So, How are we going to convince her to give the Poke Flute back?" Calem asked.

"Hmm," said Ash. "Well, we need to explain how important it is for the town and their festival to have that flute. Then maybe she'll listen."

"Well, from what we've heard," said Serena, "I don't get the impression that she's the type of person who listens to others, especially when they're telling her something she doesn't want to hear. Which means that we're going to have to think of something else."

"Yeah," said Shauna, "but we still need to get in, and nobody's coming to let us in!"

The others blinked, and looked towards the gates. Sure enough, there was no sign of anyone coming to answer their questions.

"Well," said Calem, "If they're not going to answer then we'll just have to find another way in."

"How?" said Shauna. "I mean, the gate is way too high to go over, and even if we do get over, how will we get through the door?"

"They can't stay inside forever," Serena pointed out. "Sooner or later, they're going to have to come outside. Who knows, maybe they're out in the garden."

Ash scratched his chin thoughtfully. Then he smiled as he grabbed a Pokeball.

"Pidgeot, I choose you!"

With a flash, Ash's powerful flying type emerged. She cried out as she spread her wings, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Calem.

"Really, Ash?"

"Well, we need to get over the gate somehow. Might as well fly over it, right?"

Calem tried to speak, but was interrupted.

"I think that would be awesome!" said Shauna.

"It would be pretty cool to fly on Pidgeot," said Serena. "And besides, we do need to get in, right?"

Calem tried to respond, but realized that he had no idea what to say.

* * *

After a few flights, the group decided to go to the garden. It was even more impressive than they had thought, as the hedges were trimmed into beautiful shapes and mazes, the fountains were pristine, and the statues depicted various Pokémon from faraway lands.

"Wow," said Shauna. "Whoever lives here is clearly very wealthy."

"Either that, or they inherited a lot," muttered Serena.

A sudden buzzing sound alerted them to Rotom's presence.

"That makes a lot of sense. Parfum Palace was built to be the home of the Kalosian royal family 300 years ago. However, since modern-day Kalos is a Republic, it's mostly a historical site, even though it is currently inhabited by descendants of the royal family."

"Do you think Allie is one of them?" Ash asked.

"It would explain her ego," Calem joked.

"Pika-pika," Pikachu replied in a deadpan tone.

"Whatever it is," said Ash, "we need to find her. So where do we start?"

As if to answer his question, a voice rung out.

"Furfrou! Where are you, Furfrou?"

They turned around to see a young girl with red hair and pink eyes. However, what was most striking was how elegantly dressed she was; not only was she wearing a shiny silver tiara, but also a fancy pink dress, expensive-looking boots, and fine silk gloves.

"Where have you gone this time, Furfrou?"

She then spotted the group, and her eyes narrowed.

"And who are you?! How did you get in here?!"

Ash stepped forwards. "Are you Allie?"

"That's _Princess_ Allie!"

Ash shrugged. It was definitely her.

"We were sent here by Lord Shabboneau because he told us that you took his Poke Flute."

Allie rolled her eyes as she looked away.

"So what? If I like something, then why can't it be mine?"

"You can't just take something that doesn't belong to you!" Shauna yelled. "How do you feel Lord Shabboneau feels that you took his beloved Poke Flute?"

The red haired girl huffed. "Who cares? I'm a princess, so I can do anything I want!"

Ash gritted his teeth. Who did this girl think she was?! Before he could comment on this, however, Serena walked up to her and began to speak.

"Listen, _Princess_ ," she said as she stood eye-to-eye with Allie. "If you think you can waltz around making other people miserable just because you have some stupid crown on your head that you think gives you that right, then you are an awful little-"

"How dare you?!" Allie interrupted. "For your information, I am a descendant of the ancient and honorable royal family of Kalos! I enjoy a status that a lowly commoner such as yourself could never even dream of!"

"Commoner?!"

Fortunately, before things could escalate further, Calem stepped in.

"Can you two stop it? We need to get that flute back!"

The two girls growled at each other, then backed off, although their glares did not diminish.

"I see," said Allie. "Alas, even if I was willing to part with the flute, I have more important matters to attend to. You see, my beloved Furfrou has gone missing, and I must find her before I can do anything else."

"Furfrou?" Ash asked. In response, Rotom flew up to his face with a picture of a canid Pokémon with plenty of thick, white fur.

" _Furfrou, the Poodle Pokémon. Historically, in the Kalos region, these Pokémon were the designated guardians of the king._ However, since the monarchy ended long ago, the only use Furfrou have nowadays is to trim their fur into various eye-gouging styles for people to brag about!"

"Hey!" said Shauna. "Furfrou trims are not eye-gouging! And there are lots of people who appreciate them, especially in Showcases!"

Ash and Pikachu stared in confusion. "What kind of trims?"

"Pika?"

In response, Rotom opened up nine other images of the same Pokémon, but with various different fur trim designs.

"See? Eye-gouging."

Shauna rolled her eyes, then grabbed the Pokedex.

"Take a look" she said as she pointed at the various designs. "The heart, diamond, and star trims are easy to tell apart, since their foreheads and tails match their names. The Matron and La Reine trim are similar in style, but differ in the styling of the head, ears, feet, and torso. The Dandy and Debutante trims can be considered gender counterparts, as the Dandy tends to be seen as a more "male" trim, whereas the Debutante is seen as a "female" style. Finally, the Pharaoh and Kabuki trim can be tricky to distinguish from each other, but have significant differences in the forehead, chin, legs, and tail areas which make them visually distinct from each other."

Ash and the others, except for Calem, stared at her.

"I wanted to be a Furfrou Stylist when I was younger," said Shauna.

"Oh," said Ash.

"Well," said Allie, "if you are done now, then I would like to ask you to kindly leave the premises. After all, I have my dear Furfrou to seek out."

"And what if we were the ones to find her?"

Everyone turned around towards Calem, who shrugged. Allie's eyes began to sparkle.

"You'd really help me find my dear little Furfrou?"

"Are you crazy?!" yelled Shauna. "She's a meanie!"

"Not to mention she has horrible taste in clothing," said Rotom.

"Yeah!" said Ash. "We shouldn't have to help her if she's just going to go around stealing people's stuff!"

Calem then turned to face Allie. To her shock, a smirk appeared on his face.

"Oh yeah, you're right. There's not much reason for us to help her if she won't give back what she took, so maybe we should just leave."

Allie stared at him blankly as he turned around to leave. Was he being serious?!

"Wait!" she cried. "You can't leave! I have to find Furfrou!"

Calem stopped. Allie couldn't see him, but she could tell his smirk was widening.

"Well, if we found your Furfrou… would you give the flute back?"

The red haired girl gritted her teeth. She did not like being talked to like this.

"I… fine! Just find Furfrou and I'll give you your stupid flute!"

Calem grinned, then turned to his friends. They were all looking at him with amazement on their faces.

"So, what do you say? Should we find Furfrou?"

"That was awesome, Senpai!" Shauna said as she grabbed his arm. "Now we can get the flute back!"

"Yeah," said Serena. "But first we need to find that Furfrou. And how do you think we're going to do that?"

"Well," said Calem, "I say we split up into two groups. We'll be able to cover more ground that way."

"Great!" said Shauna. "Let's go find Furfrou!"

She then rushed off, dragging her boyfriend behind her. Ash watched in shock, before he turned to Serena, Pikachu, and Rotom

"So, I guess we-"

Before he could say anything else, Rotom floated to Pikachu and whispered something in his ear. Ash tried to listen, but before he could, Pikachu turned to him with a mischievous smirk.

"Okay!" said Rotom. "See you two later!"

The two electric types then rushed off, leaving Ash and Serena.

Ash suddenly felt incredibly awkward.

"So," said Serena, "I guess it's just you and me?"

"Uh, yeah!" Ash said quickly. "So, uh, let's go find Furfrou!"

As the two walked through the garden, a million thoughts swarmed through Ash's head.

 _Wow… now it's just me and Serena… walking together… by ourselves… in a really nice garden._

 _It's almost like we're on a… daaa-_

He shook his head as hard as he could. They had a job to do.

* * *

"Look!" said Shauna. "Some Furfrou fluff!"

Calem took a look at the little patch of white fur that the brown-haired girl had picked up.

"Yeah, that definitely looks like Furfrou," he said. "She's been around here for sure."

"So, where do you think she's gone now?"

Calem looked around. The hedge mazes did have plenty of visual appeal, but it also meant that any runaway Pokémon had plenty of places to hide.

"We might have to go through a few mazes," he said. "Furfrou could be hiding anywhere."

"This is going to be really hard!"

* * *

"Searching… searching… searching…"

While Pikachu had found the idea of leaving Ash alone with his crush to be hilarious, he was now seriously regretting doing so. After all, he was now alone with the Rotom Pokedex.

And while constantly saying that it was searching for the lost Furfrou wasn't the worst thing that could happen, it was certainly not desirable.

"Oh my gosh!"

Pikachu's ears raised slightly.

"Pika-buddy! You're not going to believe it!"

The mouse Pokémon turned around to see Rotom gazing into a hole in the hedge.

"I can't believe it! I really can't!"

Excited, Pikachu bounced up to the hole. Squeezing in to get a better view without disturbing Rotom, he looked in.

He was then greeted by the sight of an empty clearing.

"I can't believe we still haven't found that mutt! Can you?"

Rotom burst into laughter as it floated away at top speed while an irate Pikachu chased after it.

* * *

"So, do you think Furfrou was around here?" asked Ash.

"Probably," said Serena. "I mean, there's some fur here, so it must have passed through for at least a moment."

"I guess so," said Ash. "So where do you think-"

He was then cut off by the sound of a Thunderbolt. He and Serena looked up to see a small red object floating in the distance while it dodged several blasts of electricity.

"Something tells me that Rotom was being a jerk again," said Serena.

* * *

"Aha!"

Calem looked towards where Shauna had pointed, and spotted a white doglike Pokemon.

"We found her!" he said. Unfortunately, as soon as it realized that it was being watched, the Poodle Pokémon ran off, barking madly.

"No!" Shauna cried as she and Calem began to chase after it. "Come back!"

* * *

"Not so fast!"

Furfrou stopped in her tracks as she lay eyes on the strange red device floating in front of her.

"You shall not pa-"

Furfrou grabbed the Pokedex with her teeth and flung it out of the way.

"YAAAHHH!"

Rotom slammed into a random statue as Furfrou ran away. Pikachu watched the events unfold, too amused to help.

"Did anybody get the number of that mutt that ran me over?" muttered Rotom.

"Pika-pika," Pikachu said in amusement.

* * *

Furfrou stopped in her tracks as she saw Ash standing in her way.

"No more, Furfrou!" he said. "We're taking you back to Princess Allie!"

The Poodle Pokémon growled, then turned around. She then found her way blocked by Serena.

"Stay where you are!" she said. "You've got nowhere else to go!"

Furfrou looked forwards, then backwards. No matter which way she went, she would be grabbed by one of the young trainers.

Finally, she gave a resignated whine.

"Great!" said Ash. "Now let's get you back to your master!"

* * *

"Oh, Furfrou!" Allie cried as she hugged her beloved pet.

"Well," said Calem, "We helped you find your Furfrou. Now will you give us the flute back?"

Allie momentarily stopped embracing her pet, and glared at the group in front of her.

"And why should I give you my precious flute?!"

Ash stared at her incredulously. Had she really forgotten the deal she made?

"Hello?!" Shauna yelled. "You said you'd give the flute back if we found your Furfrou!"

"Well, I am under no obligation to give you something that belongs to me!"

"Belongs to you?!" Serena cried. "The Poke Flute belongs to Lord Shabboneau!"

"So what?" said Allie. "If I want it, then it's mine! I'm a Princess!"

"That's funny, because the last time I checked, the monarchy was abolished centuries ago."

Allie's face suddenly became drained of color. She slowly turned around, and met the intense eyes of the last person she'd want to see under such circumstances.

"Uncle Lysandre!" she said as a nervous smile formed on her face. "What a surprise! I didn't think you were going to-"

"I was hoping that you had learned better, young lady," said Lysandre. "Yet you still flaunt your royal heritage at every chance, using it to justify all your selfish deeds while others are forced to pay for the consequences of your actions!"

Ash and his friends watched the exchange in shock.

"Allie and Lysandre are related?" said Ash.

"I heard rumors that he was descended from the royal family," said Calem, "but I didn't think any of it was true!"

Meanwhile, Allie kept stammering at her uncle's angry glare.

"B-But doesn't being part of the royal family make me special?"

"That may distinguish you from others," said Lysandre, "but if you waste your time boasting about your heritage and stealing from others, then you are nothing."

Allie tried to speak, but the words got caught in her throat.

"These people decided to help you find your missing Furfrou even though they had no obligation to do so, especially since you were so rude to them," Lysandre continued. "And the only thing they asked for in return was for you to give back the flute that you stole. And yet, even after you'd agreed to those terms, you still chose to selfishly hoard the item you took. You are a disgrace to your noble heritage!"

At this, Allie began to tremble, then look downwards. Her eyes began to fill with tears. The others watched in a combination of amazement and shock.

"Well?" Lysandre said impatiently. "What's it going to be, Allie? Shall you give back the flute, as you promised, or shall you continue to dishonor your royal ancestry?"

Allie whimpered, then answered.

"Okay… I'll give it back!"

With that, she rushed off towards the palace. Ash and the rest of his group watched her go, too stunned to say anything. Finally, the raven-haired boy decided to speak.

"Um, Mr Lysandre? Don't you think that was a bit too harsh?"

"Far from it," said Lysandre. "The world is full of filth that puts their own needs before those of others. The last thing I wish for is for my niece to fall into the latter category. I wish for a world where there is no selfish filth, a world where everyone lives in harmony with their neighbors. And alas, sometimes extreme methods are necessary to ensure that."

Ash and his friends stared at Lysandre in shock. They weren't sure which was more unnerving; the way he had criticized Allie, or the fact that he had apparently referred to a large number of people as "filth." Before they could comment further, however, the orange-haired man spoke up again.

"I understand why you may find my methods to be distasteful. Nobody likes to resort to such harsh ways. And if there was a way to make Allie change her mind without having to lash out at her, I would have taken it. But experience has taught me that people will cling to their selfishness until they have no other choice. Far more often than not, the only way to make people change their minds is to force change upon them. And sometimes, even that does not work, and when that happens…"

Lysandre trailed off for a moment, then stopped speaking. He then sighed.

"I'm sorry. I know that you may not agree with my ideas, but I hope you can at least understand why I hold them."

Ash opened his mouth, but the words got caught in his throat. He then turned to his friends, and saw that they weren't speaking either. He then tried to speak again, but found himself unable to once more.

Finally, Calem broke the silence.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm really glad he's on our side. He must be terrifying to his enemies."

* * *

 _ **A/N: I am so sorry that this one took so long. I had writer's block for a long while. Then I got sick. So basically, the last month or two have sucked.**_

 _ **Anyway, the Allie-Lysandre connection was something that I thought up which seemed to make sense to me. And yes, my headcanon is that, since the monarchy is (presumably) defunct, Allie is not technically a princess, but uses the title anyway because it makes her feel important.**_

 _ **Also, Calem and Shauna are back. It's the BrightTomorrowShipping capital of the world. I had to.**_

 _ **Oh yeah, and this story now has over 100 thousand words. And almost 400 favorites. I'm... kind of lost for words, honestly.**_

 _ **Next time, the Snorlax festival.**_


	23. Old Enemies

Snorlax yawned as he sat down in the middle of the town. Lord Shabboneau bit at his nails as he watched.

"Oh, oh dear… I hope your friends come back with that flute soon!"

"Don't you worry, Lord Shabboneau," said Brock. "Ash has never let us down before, and I'm certain that he won't this time!"

"You have a lot of faith in your friend, don't you?" said Alexa.

"Of course," said Brock. "If there's one thing I know about Ash, it's that he never gives up. No matter how bleak or impossible the circumstances are, he'll keep fighting for what he believes is right until he wins.

"Wow," said Korrina. "You must have been traveling with him a lot."

"I have," said Brock. "Except for a short period about a year back, we've been traveling together pretty much constantly for at least two years."

"I see," said Korrina. "So, what was it that made you stop?"

Brock froze.

"Uh… w-what was that?"

"You said you stopped traveling with Ash for a short while. What was that about?"

Fortunately for Brock, he was spared from having to tell her the details of his time with a certain female professor when a familiar voice rang out.

"Hey, guys! We got the flute back!"

The group looked up, and saw Ash and the others running up to them. And in the boy's hand was a familiar item.

"Ah, perfect!" Lord Shabboneau said with a big smile. "Now the festival can begin as planned!"

As Ash reached him, he took the flute, and began to play a happy tune. The Sleeping Pokémon lifted his head up in surprise, and then smiled as he began to make his way towards them.

"You see, my lord?" the butler said. "Everything turned out just fine in the-"

Before he could finish, a device appeared out of nowhere and encased Snorlax in a cage of energy, causing everyone to gasp in shock.

"What's going on?!" cried Lord Shabboneau. Before he could do anything else, another device grabbed the Poke Flute and wrenched it from his grasp. The group looked upwards, and saw two figures standing in the shadow of a building.

"Who are they?!" said Shauna.

Smirking, the two figures walked out and revealed themselves.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!"

"To infect the world with devastation!"

"To blight all people in every nation!"

"To denounce the goodness of truth and love!"

"To extend our wrath to the stars above!"

"Cassidy!"

"And Butch, of course!"

"We're Team Rocket, circling Earth all day and night!"

"Surrender to us now or you will surely lose the fight!"

"Raticate!" a Raticate cried as it popped out of its Pokeball.

"Team Rocket?!" said Lord Shabboneau. "Who are they?!"

"Didn't you watch the news?" said Calem. "They're a bunch of criminals from Kanto who decided to come to Kalos. They were the ones who attacked Professor Sycamore's lab!"

"And they tried to kidnap me," said Korrina. "But that was a different group from this one."

"We know these guys too," said Brock. "They're called Cassidy and Buck."

"My name is Butch!"

"Who cares?!" said Serena. "You let Snorlax go!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Cassidy said with a mock-apologetic tone. "You see, Team Rocket needs a big, strong Pokémon like this Snorlax to help further our plans. And so, we're going to have to take it with us!"

"We're not going to let you!" said Ash. "Right, Pikachu?"

"Pika!" Pikachu said as his cheeks sparked.

"Fine!" Cassidy said as she grabbed a pokeball. "Have it your way! Let's go, Phantump!"

"You go too!" said Butch. "Malamar!"

With a pair of flashes, two Pokémon appeared in front of the group. The first was a black, wisplike pokemon with a wooden stump for a head, while the other was grayish blue pokemon with multiple tentacles and a particularly nasty smirk.

"Ooh, I got this!" said Rotom. "Phantump, the-"

"PIkachu!"

"Fennekin!"

"Chespin!"

"Lucario!"

"Weavile!"

"Flora!"

Rotom watched as the group sent out their Pokémon before it could display any information.

"Sure, fine," it huffed angrily. "Just ignore the useful advice I have!"

Meanwhile, the rest of the group began to battle the rockets. Phantump began to toss Shadow Balls at Pikachu and Fennekin, who bounced out of the way as quickly as they could. Pikachu fired off a Thunderbolt at the Stump Pokémon, who dodged it and blasted out a Will-O-Wisp. Fortunately for Pikachu, Fennekin intercepted the attack with an Ember.

At the same time, Flora the Flabébé sent a Fairy Wind at Raticate, who used Dig to evade it. It then blasted out of the ground, sending the little Fairy type backwards. Fortunately, Chespin managed to grab her with his vines before she could get too badly injured. They then fired a combination of Pin Missile and Magical Leaf, which Raticate just barely managed to escape by Digging again.

Not too far away, Weavile and Lucario were battling Malamar. The Overturning Pokémon blasted a Psywave at Lucario, only for it to be blocked by Weavile. Weavile then jumped out of the way as Lucario lunged forwards and slashed at Malamar with Metal Claw. The enraged Malamar then attempted a Psybeam, which was similarly blocked, then followed by another attack. Undeterred, the Overturning Pokémon grinned maliciously as its eyes glowed, sending out hypnotic waves towards its opponents. Weavile blinked as he was hit, then started to slow down and lose his balance.

"Ha!" cried Butch. "Now you can't block out any more Psychic attacks!"

"Oh, I wouldn't count on that," said Calem.

"What?" Butch said in confusion as he looked towards Calem's Pokemon. To his shock, Weavile yawned boredly as he chewed on a Lum Berry. The Sharp Claw Pokemon then rushed forwards and Slashed at Malamar.

"Neat!" said Korrina. "I didn't realize that your Weavile was holding a Berry!"

"I nearly lost a major battle when Weavile got paralyzed," said Calem. "I thought it would be smart to not let it happen again."

Malamar growled as its eyes began to glow once more. To its shock, however, Weavile was not even trying to strike back. Instead, it was making silly faces while laughing at Malamar.

"Malamar!" Butch yelled. "It's trying to taunt you! Don't fall for it!"

Unfortunately for him, Malamar wasn't listening. It lunged at Weavile with glowing purple tentacles, only to be stopped by a Metal Claw attack from Lucario. Before it could get back up, the Overturning Pokémon was struck by an Ice Punch attack from Weavile, which sent it flying backwards.

"Listen to me, you overgrown Tentacool!" Butch yelled in frustration. "Stop fooling around and get those twerps!"

Unfortunately for him. Malamar did not listen to him. Instead, it turned around to give him a menacing glare.

"Uh, please?" Butch said as a drop of sweat rolled down his forehead. He was then taken by surprise when he was lifted out of the air and dragged towards his angry Pokémon .

"Butch!" Cassidy yelled in shock as her partner was wrapped in tentacles.

"Malamar!" the Overturning Pokémon declared as it looked its trainer in the eye. "Mal, Malamar."

"Uh, Malamar?" Butch said nervously. "Buddy? Pal? Partner?"

As Butch tried to regain control over his angry Pokémon, every other trainer and Pokémon watched with a combination of confusion and dread.

"Jeez," said Calem. "That Pokemon has issues."

"Kind of like your Weavile," said Shauna.

"Yeah, but Weavile never tried to strangle me."

"...Oh yeah, that's a good point."

Finally, after about a minute of Butch pleading, Malamar finally seemed satisfied. With a smirk, it let him go, dropping him to the ground. Cassidy and the other Rocket Pokémon quickly joined him.

"Butch!" Cassidy cried. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Butch groaned. "Also, thanks for not forgetting my name."

"Raticate!"

"Phantump!"

The Rocket duo turned around at the voices. To their surprise, the two were now shaking in terror as they hid behind Cassidy.

"Is it just me, or are those two scared?" said Cassidy.

"Are you kidding me?" said Butch. "That psychotic cephalopod is scaring _me_!"

"Maybe we should ask our new boss if it's too late to change our Pokémon choice?" said Cassidy.

"I think it probably is," Butch moaned.

Meanwhile, Malamar was now single handedly attacking the other group's Pokémon. Chespin, Fennekin, Pikachu, and Flora attacked with Pin Missile, Ember, Thunderbolt, and Fairy Wind, respectively. However, the powerful Dark type dodged all the attacks and fired off a Powerful Psybeam which knocked the four smaller Pokémon away. Lucario and Weavile then rushed towards their opponent with glowing claws, only to be countered by Malamar's Night Slash. It then blasted Lucario with Psybeam, and followed it up with an Aerial Ace to Weavile's face.

"Okay!" said Brock. "We need to take out that Malamar! Does anyone have any ideas?"

Ash looked around, trying to find anything that could potentially help them defeat the enraged Malamar. It was then that he spotted something in Cassidy's hands. One was, of course the Poke Flute. The other, however, seemed to be some sort of remote control device. As he looked back towards Snorlax's cage, an idea came to him.

"Hey guys! I think I know how to free Snorlax! And if we let it go, maybe it can help us!"

The others turned towards him.

"What?" said Lord Shabboneau. "How do we do that?"

"Team Rocket has some sort of remote which controls that cage! If we can get it, we can free Snorlax!"

"Great!" said Serena. "But how do we get it from them?"

"Distract Malamar for a bit, then Pikachu can get it!" said Ash.

"Gotcha!" said Korrina. "We'll keep him occupied!"

"Yeah!" said Brock. "You go get that remote!"

With that, the team went back on the offensive. Chespin attacked with Vine Whip, while Weavile threw an Ice Punch. Malamar managed to dodge both attacks, only to be taken by surprise by a combined Ember and Fairy Wind. It then attacked them with a Night Slash, only for the attack to be intercepted by Lucario's Metal Claw.

Unnoticed by Malamar, Ash and Pikachu put the rest of their plan into motion.

"Okay, Pikachu! Magnet Rise!"

Pikachu's body cackled with electricity as he rose upwards. He then brought his tail forwards and surfed through the air, right above the distracted Malamar. Finally, he hovered right above Butch and Cassidy.

"Get it, Pikachu!"

Pikachu dove towards the unsuspecting duo and nabbed both the Poke Flute and the remote. Momentarily taken by surprise, they looked up at the escaping rodent.

"Hey! That's mine!"

Pikachu raced back to his trainer, narrowly dodging a stray Psywave from Malamar. He then gave his trainer the two items he'd retrieved.

"Great work!" said Ash as the rest of the group cheered. "Now let's free Snorlax!"

He pressed a button on the remote, which was followed by the deactivation of the energy field. Freed from his prison, Snorlax cried out happily, before turning his gaze towards the ones who had trapped him.

"Uh oh!" said Butch as Snorlax began to gather energy in its mouth. "Malamar! Help!"

Rolling its eyes, Malamar diverted its attention from its opponents and flew back to its trainer. It then fired a Psybeam just as Snorlax blasted out its Hyper Beam. The two attacks met in the middle, briefly locked in a stalemate. But eventually, Snorlax's attack won out, pushing the Psychic type attack back.

"Is is just me, or is the fatso winning?" said Cassidy.

"I was hoping it was just me!" said Butch.

"Raticate!"

Finally, the beam reached Team Rocket, creating a huge explosion. The rest of the trainers shielded their eyes as the duo and their Pokémon were sent flying.

"No fair!" said Cassidy. "This only ever happens to those losers and their Meowth!"

"Apparently, it can happen to anyone," said Butch.

"Malamar," Malamar said as it glared in the general direction of Ash and his friends.

"We're blasting off like the loseeeeers!" Cassidy and Butch cried as they vanished in the distance.

Back on the ground, Ash and his friends cheered.

"Oh, thank you once again!" said Lord Shabboneau. "Not only did you get back my flute, but you also saved our dear Snorlax!"

"Oh, don't worry about it," said Ash. "It's just what we do."

"Nevertheless, you have done us all a great favor!" said Lord Shabboneau. "Now the Snorlax festival can proceed as planned!"

With that, he began to play the Poke Flute once more. Snorlax smiled as he listened to the music, then smiled as it walked up to the big pile of berries that had been set aside for him. The large Normal type then sat down in front of the berry pile and began to eat happily. As the music played, the berry pile got smaller and smaller, until Snorlax had eaten it all.

"Wow, Snorlax sure eat a lot," said Serena.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe how much they eats," said Ash. "Sometimes, I feel like they spends all their time eating or sleeping. But my Snorlax is also really strong in battle!"

Finally, as finished its meal, the townspeople who had gathered in the square gave him their thanks. Snorlax gave them all a big smile, then slowly made its way back towards the mountains.

"Wow," said Serena. "It's so amazing how Snorlax and the people in this town get along together."

"Oh yes," said Lord Shabboneau. "Snorlax has a very special place in our hearts!"

"Yeah, he does," said Calem. "So, who's ready for the fireworks?"

"They have fireworks?" said Ash.

"Yup!" said Shauna. "Calem-Senpai and I went to see the fireworks at the Snorlax Festival on our first date! It was really cool!"

"Yeah," said Calem. "It was neat."

Ash stared at them in surprise. While he'd known that Calem and Shauna were a couple, he'd never really thought much about how they had started. And now, knowing that he and Serena were in the same place as they had been at the beginning of their relationship, he couldn't help but think. If he asked her out now, how would it go? Would they end up together? Where would they end up?

He then realized that he was currently surrounded by his friends and Pokémon, so it would be rather silly to ask now.

"It should start any minute now!" said Lord Shabboneau. And sure enough, a bright light exploded above them. Everyone gasped in awe as they watched the fireworks explode above them.

"So awesome!" said Shauna. "Just like last time, Senpai!"

"Yeah, it sure is!" said Calem.

Ash looked over at them, and saw that they were holding hands. He then looked at Serena, and saw her hands hanging free.

For a moment, he was tempted to reach out and grab them. He would have enjoyed holding her hand while watching the fireworks, even if they weren't really a couple.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" said Serena.

Ash blinked as he realized that Serena was now looking at him with an expectant look on her face.

"Oh, yeah," he said with a toothy grin, trying his hardest not to blush. "Really beautiful."

Serena smiled as she looked back at the fireworks. Ash sighed, then looked upwards with a smile of his own.

Maybe not tonight, but eventually.

* * *

 ** _A/N: I tried to post this chapter earlier, but for some reason the site didn't update correctly. So now I'm trying again to see if it works._**

 ** _Also, to that one guy who commented earlier: yes, Hypnosis does indeed affect Dark Type Pokémon._**

 ** _So, Ash and friends got the flute back, Cassidy and Whats-his-face are in Kalos, and fireworks. Shippy, shippy fireworks._**

 ** _Anyway, for the Rockets Kalos Pokémon, I decided to give them an "evil counterpart" team to Jessie and James. So as a counter to Jessie's Pumpkaboo, Cassidy gets the other Ghost/Grass Pokémon of Kalos. And to contrast James' friendly, devoted Inkay, Butch gets a completely non-loyal, psychopathic Malamar who may or may not have its own agenda._**

 ** _Next time: Shauna has her Showcase Debut, and Serena ponders what to do with her life._**


	24. Shauna's Showcase Debut

_"_ _Fortunately, the duo was stopped when Snorlax was released, allowing it to strike back against its attackers. However, many fear that more attacks from Team Rocket may follow. Therefore, people are advised to be cautious, and report any suspicious activity to-_ "

Ash turned off his Holo-Caster and turned back to his breakfast. He didn't want to think too much about what Team Rocket was doing in Kalos.

"So, you're having your first Pokémon Showcase today, right Shauna?" he asked.

"Yep," said Shauna. "As soon as we're finished, and Nurse Joy finishes checking my Pokémon, we'll be off to the Showcase hall."

 _"_ _Will Shauna please report to the front desk?_ " Nurse Joy's voice rung out. " _Your Pokémon are all ready._ "

"Ooh! Just in time!" Shauna said as she got up and rushed to get her Pokémon.

"Hello, Shauna," said Nurse Joy as she gave Shauna her Pokeballs. "Your Pokémon are both in perfect health!"

"Thanks you so much, Nurse Joy!" Shauna said with a big smile. "Now were going to win that Showcase for sure!"

Nurse Joy smiled as the young trainer thanked her. However, her smile quickly vanished as her hands were suddenly grabbed by an unknown force.

"Thank you for so kindly helping my friend, Nurse Joy!" said Brock. "Now please help me!"

Nurse Joy stared in confusion at the strange, seemingly eyeless man.

"My heart is in such pain, Nurse Joy! I need one as beautiful and caring as you to help heal me! So please, say that you will-"

Before he could say anything else, Brock was engulfed in electricity. He screamed in pain for a moment, then slumped and fell over. Joy blinked, then saw a small red object smiling at her.

"I'm terribly sorry about that, ma'am. My friend here suffers from an incurable case of stupid-itus."

* * *

Soon afterwards, the group found themselves right in front of the Showcase hall. Shauna grinned at her friends as they walked in.

"So, since I'm already registered, I'm going to go with the other performers. I'll see you guys afterwards, okay?"

"Sounds great," said Calem with a thumbs up. "Good luck, Shauna!"

"Thanks, Senpai!" Shauna said with a wink. "I'm totally gonna win!"

"You go do your best!" said Serena.

"You'll do great!" said Korrina.

"Good luck!" said Brock.

"Don't give up until it's over!" said Ash.

Shauna smiled as she rushed off backstage. Meanwhile, Ash and the others went off for the spectator seats.

"So, do you think she'll win?" Ash asked Calem.

"I don't know," said Calem. "Performers very rarely win on their first Showcase. But I know that Shauna will be great even if she doesn't win."

Serena briefly found herself thinking about her own journey. If she did decide to participate in Pokémon Showcases, how would she fare? And if she didn't win the first time, what would she do?

* * *

"Welcome everyone! I am Monsieur Pierre, and it is my honor to introduce you to ze Camphrier Town Rookie Class Showcase!"

Everyone cheered as the familiar figure stepped out onto the stage.

"As you know, ze performer who wins tonight's Rookie Class Showcase shall take with zem their very own Princess Key!"

At that, a small gray Pokémon with several keys hanging from its body floated up to Pierre and dropped a particular ornate key into Pierre's hand. Curious, Ash pulled out his Pokedex and scanned it.

" _Klefki, the Key Ring Pokémon. These key collectors threaten any attackers by fiercely jingling their keys at them._ Which is the dumbest defense strategy ever. I mean, when was the last time you saw someone jingling their keys at you and thought-"

Ash shoved the Pokedex back into his pocket.

"And now it's time for ze Theme Performance!" said Pierre. "Today, ze lovely ladies who are competing today shall cooperate with zheir Pokémon to create beautiful works of art!"

Pierre snapped his fingers, causing the floor beneath him to open. Slowly, three tables emerged, each one with paint, brushes, and canvas.

"Ze Performer and Pokémon who can create ze most beautiful painting together shall move on to ze Freestyle Performance!"

The floor opened once again, this time revealing three young trainers and their Pokémon. Two of them were unfamiliar to the group, but the third was instantly recognizable.

"It's Shauna!" said Serena. "And Chestelle!"

Indeed, the brown-pigtailed girl and her Chespin were among the first three performers. She was wearing a pink dress with brown sleeves and a white trim, and she was wearing a pair of pink boots.

"Awesome!" said Calem. "She's right at the beginning!"

"She's going to do great!" said Ash.

"Pika!" Pikachu said in agreement.

"Ze Performers and zheir Pokémon have ten minutes to complete zheir painting!" said Pierre. "Starting… now!"

With that, a holographic hourglass appeared above the group. The three girls immediately got to work, grabbing whatever colors they wanted to use, and began to paint on their canvases along with their Pokémon.

"Wow!" said Brock. "I never would've thought they would do painting at the Showcase!"

"Yeah," said Calem. "Every town has a different style for their Theme Performance!"

Back down on the stage, Shauna and Chestelle painted together as hard as they could. They complemented each other perfectly, each stroke of the brush helping to create the picture they both wanted to create.

"Amazing!" Pierre commented. "Performer Shauna and her Chespin are working with each other perfectly!"

Finally, the hourglass ran out, giving a sound to indicate that their time was up.

"Time's up!" said Pierre. "It's time for the performers' work to be judged!"

The three girls and their Pokémon stepped away from their paintings as they were put on display. While they were all good, there was one that stood out: a portrait of a boy in a blue jacket, with a Chesnaught by his side.

Calem's face became noticeably red.

"Aw, how cute!" Serena said as she turned to her cousin. "Shauna really loves you to paint that!"

"Yeah," said Calem with an awkward smile on his face. "She does."

"And now it is time for these works of art to be judged!" said Pierre. "Now grab your Glow Casters and choose ze best painting!"

Calem immediately grabbed his Caster and cast his vote for Shauna. Following his example, Ash and his friends did the same. As they did, tiny balls of light floated out of the devices and towards the stage, filling a number of gauges above each performer. As everyone finished voting, the gauges filled up, until a single one was filled up more than the others. And to the delight of Ash and the others, it was the one floating above Shauna.

"And _voila_!" Pierre declared. "Zhe Performer who shall go on to ze Freestyle Performance is… Performer Shauna!"

The crowd cheered as Shauna grinned. She and Chestelle hugged each other excitedly as they were lowered back below the stage.

"A strong performance from our first group!" Pierre declared. "And now it's time for our second group of performers!"

With that, another trio of girls and Pokémon emerged from the stage. Pierre smiled at them, then turned back to the audience.

"Once again, our performers shall have ten minutes to create zheir paintings! Starting… now!"

Once again, the hourglass appeared above the performers as they grabbed their paint and brushes and began to work. Ash and his friends watched on once again, though with somewhat less interest than before.

"So, each of these happens with groups of three?" Brock asked.

"Exactly," said Calem. "Then it's onto the Freestyle Performance, where the performer and Pokémon have to dazzle the audience together. Once all the performers have had their turn, the audience votes on who they thought gave the best show, and the performer who gets the most votes gets the Princess Key."

"Right," said Korrina. "And these Theme Performance parts can be pretty much everything, right?"

"Yeah," said Calem. "They've come up with all sorts of things for their performances. You never know what they're going to do."

"Wow," said Serena. "That sounds fun!"

After she said that, she paused. Had she really said that? Did she really think of the unexpected challenge of the Theme Performance as fun?

Well, if she was being honest with herself, everything about the Pokémon Showcase appealed to her. From the desire to bring people happiness, to the simple joy of performing with Fennekin, everything seemed to make sense.

So could she do it?

To take her mind off of it, she decided to take a look at the three performers currently on stage. They were all hard at work, moving their brushes across the canvas. Their Pokémon were also cooperating, painting alongside their trainers and perfect sync.

It was at this moment that Serena noticed something.

While two of the girls on stage were rather unremarkable, the third one seemed strangely familiar. She was dressed in a simple white dress, and there was a Lillipup helping her with the painting. She had light blonde hair, and she had a pair of bright green eyes-

Serena did a double take.

She remembered now. That was the same girl who had been with the edgy kid at the Santalune Gym!

"Hey Ash?" she said quietly. "Don't you remember that girl?"

"What?" said Ash. He then looked at the stage, and gasped.

"It is her, isn't it?" said Serena. "But if she's here, then shouldn't her… brother be here?"

"Pika Pikapi!" Pikachu said as he remembered how Ash's last meeting with Gladion had gone.

"Yeah, they were sibling," Ash confirmed. "And–"

Before Ash could continue, a ping sound interrupted them.

"Time's up! It's time for the performers' work to be judged!"

They both looked down and saw three paintings, with their respective artists standing next to them.

"Three _magnifique_ pieces of art!" said Pierre. "But only one performer can move on! So grab your Glow Casters and choose ze best painting!"

Ash looked at the three paintings. While he couldn't deny that they were all very good, there was one that stood out to him. It was one that depicted a sunny beach, with big waves and plenty of water-type Pokémon. What stood out the most, however, was the strange Pokémon on the shore; it almost looked like an Exeggutor, albeit one with an absurdly long and thin trunk.

Somehow, it appealed to him.

Barely even noticing what was happening, he grabbed the Glow Caster and made his choice. The ball of light joined the many others now in the air and filled the gauge that was now above the blonde performer. The gauge kept getting more and more full until there were no other lights remaining. And it was clear who had won.

"Zhe Performer who shall go on to ze Freestyle Performance is… Performer Lillie!"

The crowd cheered, and Ash and Serena stared at the stage in surprise. They weren't sure what to say anymore, but they felt like they needed to say something.

Fortunately, Calem spoke first.

"Isn't that the Edgelord's sister?"

* * *

The Theme Performance had finally ended, and the group was now awaiting Shauna's Freestyle Performance.

"It's time to see how well she does," said Serena.

"She'll do great," said Calem. "I know she will!"

They then turned towards the stage, where the floor was opening up, slowly lifting Shauna and her two Pokémon. The spotlight focused on them, as they took a deep breath.

"Okay then," Shauna said quietly. "Our big Showcase debut is here."

With that, she pulled a baton out from behind her back and lifted it forwards. Then, Chestelle lifted up a vine, while Flora lifted her flower. The trio then began to twirl their respective batons in perfect synchronization, slowly at first, but getting qicket with each rotation.

"Now!"

With a flash, Shauna's whole baton lit up. At the same time, Chestelle shot out a barrage of Pin Missiles that circled her vine, and Flora blew out a bright pink Fairy Wind which encased her whole flower.

The crowd gasped in awe at the spectacle. But Shauna wasn't done. She and her Pokémon began to spin in place, holding their glowing batons high above their heads. After a moment, they stopped and stuck the items against each other. At the sudden contact, the two attacks simultaneously shot upwards, and Shauna's baton burst open and released a huge stream of confetti.

"You two know what to do now!"

"Chespin!"

"Bébé!"

Above them, the pins and confetti were briefly contained within the Fairy Wind. Taking advantage of this, Chestelle and Flora fired an Energy Ball and Magical Leaf, respectively. The two attacks flew into the ball of Fairy type energy, causing it to burst into a shower of rainbow-colored sparkles. Shauna and her partners lifted their batons up one last time as the lights fell around them, then took a bow.

The whole crowd cheered as the trio got back up. But none were cheering as hard as Calem and his friends.

"You see that?" said Calem. "That's my girlfriend!"

"Wow!" said Brock. "Shauna's performance was great!"

"Yeah!" said Korrina. "She's going to go far!"

"Lucario!"

Serena was in awe as she clapped. Shauna was definitely good at what she did, and clearly she would only get better in the future.

What if she decided to take up Performing herself? Would she only be met with failure? Or would she actually become good at it? Could she become as good as Shauna, or even Lisia?

She didn't know, but she did know one thing.

She wanted to try.

"Hey, Serena?"

Serena was pulled out of her thoughts by Ash's voice.

"What?!" she said in surprise. "Sorry, I was distracted."

Ash chuckled. "I just wanted to let you know that Lillie is about to do her Performance.

Serena blinked. She'd almost forgotten about the mysterious trainer.

"Oh, yeah," she said with a Mareepish grin.

Quickly she turned to the stage. There, she saw that Lillie was indeed standing alongside two Pokémon of her own. One was the Lillipup from before. The second was rather unusual; it bore a striking resemblance to a Vulpix, but was pure white with blue eyes. She wondered if it might be a shiny Vulpix, but remembered that they were more of a golden color.

"Okay!" Lillie said. "Let's go!"

With that, Lillipup and the strange Vulpix jumped onto Lillie's shoulders. The white fox then fired off a chilling blast of energy across the floor, which froze it solid. It then blasted a ball of cold energy into the air, where it exploded and created a miniature snowstorm.

Both Pokémon then jumped off of their trainer and landed on the frozen floor. Then, Lillipup's jaws burst into flames, and it pressed them against the floor, causing the thin layer of ice to vaporize. It then began to move across the floor, vaporizing all the ice in it's path. Vulpix moved in from behind, with Lillie following closely.

As the vaporized ice floated upwards, Vulpix closed its eyes and released some sort of psychic energy. This, combined with the miniature snowstorm, caused the steam to fall back down in three streams, one each for Lillipup, Vulpix, and Lillie. The vapor surrounded the three, almost as if they were each deep in their own personal cloud.

Then, the trio each stopped, and held their arms out. To the amazement of the spectators, the clouds began to tighten around them. Finally, for just a few seconds, the clouds shaped themselves into three fluffy white dresses, one for each member of the team.

For a few seconds, the audience just stared in awe. Then, the cloud dresses dissolved, and the crowd cheered. Happy with the response, Lillie and her Pokémon took a bow.

"Wow!" said Ash. "Did you see how they shaped those clouds? That was so amazing!"

"Pika!" Pikachu said in agreement.

"Yeah!" said Serena. "That performance was really good!"

"Maybe," Calem shrugged. "But not as good as Shauna."

"We'll see," said Brock. "The rest of the audience seemed to like it."

Ash couldn't help but chuckle at the exchange. He then looked back at the stage. As he did, however, he momentarily looked directly at Lillie, who in turn, seemed to look at him.

It lasted for only a second, and then Lillie looked in some other direction. And while Ash could have just brushed it off, it seemed almost as if she was deliberately trying not to look in his direction.

* * *

"And there you have it!" Pierre said as the performers were brought back up to the stage. "All of our performers have done ze best they could to give us some awe-inspiring performances! But only one can take home ze Princess Key! So who will zhat performer be? It's time to choose!"

Everyone in the hall grabbed their glow casters to cast their vote. Ash and his friends did so as well, casting their vote for Shauna. As the balls of light floated towards the stage, they were joined by countless others, which floated into the gauges of the performers waiting below. They slowly became more and more full, until there were no more lights left.

On the stage, Shauna watched nervously as her own gauge filled up. While it was filling up very quickly, she could see at least one other gauge that was at least as full as hers, if not a little more. And to her surprise, it belonged to none other than Lillie.

Finally the lights ran out. And while Shauna's was very full, the blonde girl had just a few more points than her.

"And _voila_!" Pierre announced. "Ze winner of today's Rookie Class Pokémon Showcase is… Performer Lillie!"

The crowd cheered as the spotlight focused on Lillie. With a huge smile on her face, she bent down to hug her Pokémon as Klefki floated towards her to deliver her Princess Key.

"Performer Lillie has given us a strong impression today!" Pierre announced. "Let us hope zhat she will continue to do so in ze future!"

Shauna sighed in disappointment, but quickly regained her smile. She then looked down at her Pokémon and began to speak.

"Hey Chestelle? Flora? I know we didn't win this one, but we did really well! And I know that with just a bit more practice, we'll win the next one for sure!"

Her two Pokémon cheered together as they gathered together in a big hug.

* * *

Not too long afterwards, the group met with Shauna just outside the Showcase hall.

"Wow, it's too bad you lost," said Serena. "Your performance was really good."

"Yeah, it was," said Shauna. "But I still got very close, so that means I'll just have to do better next time!"

"That's true," said Calem. "And I know you're going to do great!"

"Yeah, no doubt," said Ash. "You did great today, so you can definitely win next time!"

"Pikachu!"

Shauna smiled at her friends' encouragement. Before she could reply, however, she was interrupted by a new voice.

"Excuse me!"

Shauna turned around, and was surprised to see Lillie standing in front of her.

"Shauna, right?" asked Lillie.

"Yep," said Shauna. "Hey, didn't we see you before? At the Santalune Gym?"

Lillie blinked. "Oh… yeah. Well, my brother and I are traveling together, and he's trying to get stronger by challenging all the Gyms. But he's a bit… obsessed with it."

"Why?" asked Shauna.

"Well," said Lillie. "It's really complicated. But it kind of started when we started on our journey. And there's a lot we're not supposed to talk about, so it's hard to explain."

Brock, Korrina, and Lucario moved towards Serena and Ash.

"So, mind explaining what's going on?" asked Brock.

"Well," said Serena, "when we first got to the Santalune Gym, we saw Lillie's brother challenging the leader. But it was… weird."

"Weird how?" asked Korrina.

While Serena explained the events that had transpired at their first meeting with Lillie, Ash walked up to Lillie.

"So, where is your brother?" he asked.

Lillie jumped at his voice, then turned to look at him.

"Oh!" she said quickly. "W-well, he was watching during the Showcase, b-but he had to go quickly. H-he had something important to do!"

Ash blinked. What had gotten into her?

"Well… is there any chance we could see him any time soon?"

Lillie shook her head quickly. "Sorry! He's busy now! And I have to go too!"

With that, she turned around and ran off. Ash turned to look at his friends, who were staring in confusion

"Well," he said, "that happened."

"Pikapi."

Calem and Shauna took a moment to look at each other. They both had an idea of what was going through Lillie's head, and they knew that it wasn't going to end well.

"That girl is so strange," said Korrina. And from what Serena just told me, her brother is even stranger."

"Yeah, they are," said Ash.

"I almost wonder what kind of special weirdness their mom has," Calem said.

"Yeah," said Shauna. "Still, she's pretty good as a Pokémon Performer."

The last word struck Serena. True, she'd been considering performing before today, but now that she'd seen both Shauna and Lillie in the showcase, she was drawn more and more to the idea. She could see herself and Fennekin performing together, dazzling te crowd with their amazing combinations. Everyone would have a smile on their face, all from seeing her and her Pokémon.

At the moment, she made a decision.

"I want to be a Pokémon Performer!"

The words left her mouth before she even realized what she was saying. As everyone turned to look at her, however, she knew they were exactly what she wanted to say.

"You want to become a Performer?" said Shauna.

"Yeah!" Serena said with determination. "When I saw Lisia perform in Santalune City, I realized how amazing it was to watch Pokémon and trainers working together to create such beauty, and how it brought so much joy to the people who watched. And today, after watching Shauna and Lillie perform, it made me realize that I wanted to make people smile like that too! And that's why I want to become a Performer!"

"Well, I think you'll make a great Performer!" said Ash.

"Pikachu!"

Serena looked at Ash in surprise. She'd been slightly apprehensive about how her friends would react, but the raven haired boy had nothing but approval for her decision.

Was it just her, or was her face feeling just slightly warmer than usual?

"Thanks Ash!" she said happily.

"I agree with Ash," said Brock. "You'll do great!"

"No doubt about that!" said Korrina. "I can't wait to see you perform!"

"Lucario!"

"Me neither," said Calem. "I'm looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us!"

"Totally!" said Shauna. "But you'd better watch out, because the only one who's going to become the Kalos Queen is me!"

Serena grinned as she turned to her friend. "Oh, you're on!"

The whole group laughed together at the newly formed rivalry. Then, Calem and Shauna turned to look at each other.

"Well, it's been fun," said Calem, "but we need to get going.

"Yeah," said Shauna. "But it was fun meeting with you guys!"

"Definitely!" said Ash. "And we'll be looking forward to the next time!"

"No doubt about that," said Korrina. "And it was nice to meet you!"

"Lucar-car!"

"You too," said Calem. "Seriously, though, being the granddaughter of a Gym Leader sounds super cool!"

Shauna rushed up and shook the hands of each member of the group, including Pikachu and Lucario. Finally, as she reached Serena, she pulled her into an unexpected hug.

"By the way," she whispered in Serena's ear. "You may want to watch out for that Lillie girl."

Confused by the brown haired girl's words, Serena hardly noticed when she pulled away and rushed off with Calem.

"See you later!" said Shauna.

"Good luck!" said Calem.

"Bye!" said Ash. "Let's meet up again!"

"Pikachuuuu!"

As her friends waved at the couple, Serena regained her composure and began to wave as well.

"See you guys later!" she said. "And good luck!"

Serena felt very happy even as her cousin and friend left. She finally knew what she wanted to do on her journey. And while her Pokémon team was currently small, she knew she could expand her group.

She would become a great Pokémon Performer.

* * *

Some distance away, a familiar figure glared at the now deactivated Holo-Caster. He'd known the call would be stressing, but that didn't help him at all.

"Gladion!"

The blond boy shrugged as his sister reached him.

"I thought we agreed to get out as soon as the Showcase was over," said Gladion.

"Well," Lillie said with a frown, "unlike some people, I want to get along with others and make friends."

"Of course you do," said Gladion. "I, on the other hand, want to avoid jeopardizing our mission at any cost."

"I understand just how important this is!" Lillie said as she gritted her teeth. "That doesn't mean we have to absolutely avoid being friends with anybody!"

"Don't push it, Lillie!" said Gladion. "We're already pushing the limits of what we're allowed to do by challenging Gyms and participating in Showcases! And you know what would happen if anyone found out about what we're doing!"

"Oh, like using Null in a Gym battle with four people watching wasn't giving anything away," Lillie said, her voice full of sarcasm. "At least I promised not to use Nebby in any of my performances!"

For a moment, the two siblings glared at each other. Then, Gladion turned away as he slipped the Holo-Caster back into his pocket.

"We'll discuss this later."

As he walked away, Lillie sighed. She didn't want to spend all her time hiding away from everyone around her. She wanted to be able to make friends. But she also knew how precarious her current situation was.

Sighing, she sat on the ground and let her mind wander.

Inevitably, it drifted back to Ash.

* * *

 ** _A/N: So, Serena finally decided that she wants to be a performer. Now she just needs an extra Pokémon or two. The good news is that she'll be getting one within the next few chapters._**

 ** _Also, Lillie returns. And she's probably going to be rivals with Serena._**

 ** _Oh yeah, and Edgelord. Who is about to make his Anime debut._**


	25. One Cub, Two Cub, Red Cub, Blue Cub

Some distance from Camphrier Town, the group was taking a few hours to rest. Brock was cooking up some lunch, while Ash, Korrina, Pikachu, and Lucario were sitting at a table. Finally, Serena was talking about her future performances with Fennekin.

"Okay, Fennekin," said Serena. "Now that I've decided to become a Pokémon Performer, I'm going to need your help more than ever. So let's work together and become an incredible performance team together!"

"Fenn-Fenn!" Fennekin barked happily.

Ash smiled as he watched Serena and Fennekin together. He was glad that Serena finally knew what she wanted to do on her journey, and was excited to see what she'd bring to her performances.

"You sure look excited to see Serena perform, don't you?" said Korrina.

"Totally," said Ash. "I mean, I know that she's just getting started, but I know she'll be great."

"Of course," Korrina said as a smirk formed on her mouth. "You have a lot of faith in Serena, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do," said Ash, not noticing the subtle change in Korrina's voice. "She's been my friend ever since we were little."

"Friend, right," said Korrina. "So… when are you going to ask her out?"

Ash nearly fell out of his seat as Pikachu and Lucario burst into laughter.

"What?!" Ash said as he got back up. "I-It's not like that at all!"

"Riiiight," said Korrina. "And I'm secretly the Kalos Queen."

"I… I don't like Serena!" Ash insisted as his face grew red. "I mean… I do like her, but not like that!"

"Aww," said Rotom as it popped out of Ash's pocket. "Ashy boy is in denial! And so in love!"

"You shut it!" Ash yelled as Korrina and the Pokémon roared in laughter. Surprised by the outburst, Serena and Fennekin turned to see what was the matter.

"What do you think is going on?"

Fennekin shrugged, just as confused as her trainer.

* * *

The group was gathered together around the table as they ate lunch. Down below, Pikachu had managed to sneak the ketchup bottle out of Brock's bag, and was now pouring some over his meal.

"Chaa!" he said in satisfaction as he munched on his meal. Litleo watched in surprise, curious as to why Pikachu was spreading the red stuff over the food. Was Pikachu trying to make his meal look freshly killed?

"Leo-lit?" she asked, causing Pikachu's ace to turn pale. He shook his head vigorously, then stuck his tongue out.

"Pikachu!" he said indignantly. "Pika Pikachu! Pika chuchu!"

"Lit Litleo?" Litleo asked in confusion. How was the red stuff supposed to make food better if it didn't make it look like freshly-killed prey?

Pikachu sighed, then turned to his friend for help. The other Pokémon briefly paled at the idea of ketchup making food look bloody, but agreed to help.

"Froak, Froakie," Froakie explained. Ketchup was meant to give food extra flavor, not give it a certain look.

"Pin-pin!" Chespin agreed. Just because ketchup was red didn't necessarily make it like blood. There were plenty of other toppings that were red and were good for flavor, like hot sauce and strawberry jam.

"Litleo?"

Lucario rolled his eyes, then pointed out that not all Pokémon were predators. "Lucario, cario."

The Lion Cub Pokémon looked at the others in surprise, then looked down at the ketchup bottle. She still was finding it hard to believe that the other Pokémon didn't care if their food looked freshly-killed . Her family had always told her that meals were only good right after they had been hunted. Otherwise, they went bad.

But maybe it had something to do with the red not-blood sauce? Maybe it was like a prey thing that was always being hunted? Or maybe it could make bad food magically go not-bad?

Curious, she pounced on the bottle and began to bite on it.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried in alarm. Litleo was going to break the bottle! And then all the divine foodstuff would be lost!

"Chespin!" Chespin yelled. While he didn't like ketchup as much as Pikachu, he didn't like the idea of perfectly good food being lost.

The two alarmed Pokémon both grabbed Litleo and tried to get her to let the bottle go. Taken by surprise, the Lion Cub Pokémon began to shake wildly. Why was her own pack attacking her?! She just wanted to find the secrets to the not-blood sauce!

"Liiit!" Litleo cried as the bottle was dislodged from her mouth. It was sent flying off into the distance, eventually vanishing behind a bush.

"What's going on?!" said Ash.

Pikachu didn't bother answering. He ran off, going to rescue his beloved ketchup. Litleo quickly followed, still curious about the ketchup. In her haste, however, she accidentally tripped over Fennekin's tail. The fox Pokémon cried out in pain, then ran off in pursuit of the offender.

"Did Pikachu steal the ketchup again?" asked Brock.

Meanwhile, Pikachu rushed into the bushes, where, to his great relief, he found the bottle largely undamaged.

"Pikachu!" the Mouse Pokémon cried as he hugged the bottle in joy. He was so relieved that his ketchup was unharmed that he failed to notice the Pokémon looking at him.

"Shinx!"

Pikachu's eyes went wide as the bottle fell out of his arms. There in front of him was a Pokémon that somewhat resembled his quirky teammate. Unlike her, the newcomer was light blue in the front and black in the back, with yellow ears and tail.

And unlike Litleo, he looked rather hostile.

"Shinx! Shinx!" the Pokémon growled as sparks of electricity jumped out of its body. Suddenly uneasy, Pikachu's ears curl backwards. However, Pikachu didn't back down. He was determined to protect his ketchup!

And then Litleo crashed into the newcomer.

"Liiit!"

"Shiiinx!"

With that, all the intimidation was gone. Pikachu sighed, and walked over to Litleo.

"Shinx, Shinx!" the blue Pokémon cried in anger as he looked at the Pokémon that had fallen on top of him. Litleo was too dazed to pay much attention, so he tried to push her off.

"Fennekin! Fenn!"

Recognizing the voice of her beloved friend, Litleo got back to her feet, sending her opponent rolling backwards.

"Litleo!" she said happily, oblivious to Fennekin's anger.

"Fennekin!" the Fox Pokémon yelled angrily. They were not certainly not friends of any sort, and Litleo had no business thinking otherwise!

To their surprise, their argument was interrupted by an unexpected sound.

"Shinx, Shinx!"

"Litleo?" the Lion Cub Pokémon asked as she turned around, wondering who was interrupting her conversation with her buddy.

She was then met by an incredibly handsome face, with gorgeous blue fur, yellow eyes, and a face that was similar enough to another Litleo that it could be forgiven for not being one.

Litleo immediately glomped him.

"Shinx!" the new Pokémon cried. "Shinx! Shinx!"

"Litleo! Lit Lit!" Litleo said happily.

Pikachu stared in bemusement as Litleo grabbed the newcomer. He turned towards Fennekin, who seemed just as confused.

"Pikachu! Where did you go?"

The mouse Pokémon's ears twitched as his trainer called him. He turned back and smiled as Ash finally arrived.

"Pikachu!" said Ash. "What happened to you guys?"

"Pikapi!" said Pikachu. "Pika Pikachu Pika!"

"Fennekin!" Serena said as she reached them. "Are you okay?"

"Fenn! Fenn Fennekin!"

The two young trainers looked down, and were suprised at the sight of Litleo snuggling the little blue Pokémon.

"Who's that Pokémon?" Ash asked out loud.

"Here I come!" Rotom said as it popped out of Ash's pocket and scanned the Pokémon. " _Shinx, the Flash Pokémon. All of its fur dazzles if danger is sensed. It flees while the foe is momentarily blinded_ , because it's a literal scaredy-cat!"

If Shinx was unhappy about the remark, he was too busy to show it. With a burst of electricity, he blasted Litleo off, tossing her backwards. Fortunately, Ash was able to catch her before she got hurt.

"Liiiit!" Litleo squealed as she shook in Ash's arms.

"Jeez, what's up with you, Litleo?" Ash asked the Lion Cub Pokémon. He then looked down at the wild Shinx, who seemed to be looking at him with hostility.

"Um, hello?" said Ash. "I'm sorry for my friend here. She's a bit… odd. But she's definitely not a bad Pokémon, even if she's a handful sometimes. So, no hard feelings?"

In response, Shinx blasted him with electric energy, causing him and Litleo to yell out. Serena, Pikachu, and Fennekin all gasped in shock at the Flash Pokémon's unexpected action.

"Ash!" Serena yelled. She then turned to Fennekin. "Fennekin! Ember!"

Fennekin blasted Shinx with flames, causing him to cancel his attack. He yelled out in pain, then turned to face his new attacker.

"Ember again!"

This time, Shinx had just enough warning to dodge. He jumped out of the way, then fired a Discharge at the Fox Pokémon. She cringed at the pain of the electric attack, then jumped forward and struck him with a Scratch.

"Shinx!" the wild Pokémon cried in anger as he prepared another Discharge attack. However, he had forgotten about Pikachu. Thus, he had no warning when he was blasted by a Thunderbolt. While it wasn't particularly painful, it distracted him enough to be hit by another Ember.

"Ash!" said Serena. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Ash said as he got back up. "You focus on that Shinx!"

Nodding, the honey-blonde haired girl turned back to Shinx, who was glaring at his opponents. Serena then looked down at Fennekin and smiled.

"Okay, Fennekin! Use Ember!"

Shinx attempted to tackle Fennekin, only to be blasted by flames again. He yelled in pain, then shot out a Discharge. Fennekin jumped as high as she could, just barely evading the attack. She then came down on her opponent and Scratched as hard as she could.

"Shiiinx!" the wild Pokémon cried out as it fell to its knees. Seeing its weakened state, Serena grabbed a Pokeball.

"Let's see if this works!" she said. "Pokeball, go!"

With a swing of her arm, the aspiring performer tossed the ball at Shinx. The Flash Pokémon was too weak to resist as it was sucked into the ball, which then closed and began to wobble. Serena, Fennekin, Pikachu, and Ash watched intently as the light on the Pokeball's button blinked on and off as it shook around.

Then, to their delight, a shower of sparks emerged as the ball stopped.

"I… did it?" Serena breathed, hardly believing what she'd just done.

She turned to Ash, who had a huge smile on his face.

"Serena, you did it! You caught your first Pokémon!"

As the realization reached her, the honey-blonde girl began to smile as well.

"I… did it!" she said as she ran up to the ball and grabbed it. "I caught my first Pokémon!"

Fennekin jumped up into her trainer's arms and began to lick her face. Serena in turn laughed in joy and excitement. She the looked up at Ash, who was smiling in joy.

"That was awesome, Serena! Way better than my first catch!"

"Thanks, Ack," said Serena, causing Ash to blush slightly at his old nickname. Pikachu and Rotom , on the other hand, howled with laughter, while Fennekin and Litleo looked at them in confusion.

"Heh, you're welcome Serena," said Ash. "Seriously, though, my first catch was a Caterpie, and I didn't even battle it. I pretty much just threw my Pokeball and hoped for the best."

"Really?" Serena said in surprise. "But you're such a great trainer! You did really well in the Johto League!"

"That's because I've had a lot of experience," Ash admitted. "But I was really bad at the beginning."

Serena chuckled. "Well, maybe you can tell me more later."

The raven haired boy smiled. "I'd like that."

Then, to Ash's surprise, Serena rushed forwards and hugged him.

"I'd like that too, Ack."

Ash's cheeks quickly became red.

"I-I'd like that too, Serena."

Pikachu giggled as he watched, while Litleo and Fennekin watched in fascination. Ash and Serena didn't pay them much attention, however. In that moment, it was just the two of them.

And then the moment was ruined by Rotom.

"Great! Now kiss!"

Fennekin and Litleo blasted the possessed Pokédex with Embers.

* * *

The rest of the trainers and Pokémon gathered around Serena, excited to see her first catch.

"So, are you guys ready?" she asked.

"No doubt!" said Korrina. "It must be so exciting to catch a Pokémon for the first time!"

"Lucario!"

"No doubt about it," said Brock. "You've taken a very important step in becoming a Pokémon trainer!"

Serena nodded, then grabbed the Pokeball that contained her first caught Pokémon.

"Okay! Come on out, Shinx!"

With a flash, the blue feline emerged. He shook himself as he came out, then began to look around. Upon realizing that he was surrounded by humans, he immediately went into a defensive stance.

"Shinx!" he growled.

"Hello, Shinx?" said Serena, catching the Flash Pokémon's attention. "I know we didn't exactly start out that well, but maybe we can work this out?"

Shinx stared at the young trainer warily, as if she might attack at any moment.

"I understand if you don't want to be friends," Serena continued. "But I would really enjoy that. So… maybe we can work together?"

Shinx kept staring at Serena. While he didn't trust humans, the girl didn't seem to be lying to him. And the Pokémon around her, particularly the Lucario and Pidgeot, seemed to be strong, so it was unlikely to be a weak pack.

Finally, Shinx bowed. While he was still wary of his new Alpha, he was willing to give her the benefit of a doubt.

"Oh, thank you, Shinx!" Serena said as she petted his head. However, her smile faded as her new Pokémon winced at her touch.

"I don't think he likes humans much," said Korrina.

"Yeah," said Brock. "It makes me wonder if he had some bad experiences with humans before."

Before anyone could comment further, Rotom floated up to Shinx.

"Male Shinx with the Intimidate Ability. Knows Spark, Discharge, Tackle, and Growl. Too bad its ability makes it really hard to make friends!"

Shinx blasted Rotom with electricity.

"WAAAWAAAWAAAWAAAWAAA!" screamed Rotom. "My body parts!"

Shinx huffed, then walked away to inspect the other Pokémon. Pikachu was the first to reach him, and, not being the kind of Pokémon to hold grudges, extended a paw in friendship towards his fellow electric type. Shinx stared at the paw for a moment, then huffed and moved on, leaving a disappointed Pikachu behind.

Fennekin was next, and she immediately gave her new teammate a big smile. After all, this was Serena's first new Pokémon, and she needed to show him what a great team they'd be. However, Shinx did not return the smile, and just moved on, causing the Fox Pokémon to pout.

Shinx moved on to Ash's other Pokémon. Pidgeot cawed approvingly, while Larvitar and Froakie just stared curiously. Litleo had a completely different reaction; she rushed up to him and licked his face.

Shinx responded with a Discharge attack.

"Liiiit!" Litleo cried. She then fell to the ground with swirling eyes.

"Shinx!" Serena said, slightly angry, but mostly just frustrated. "You don't do that to teammates!"

Shinx rolled his eyes. Just because they were part of his pack didn't mean he had to put up with their stupidity.

"Why are all the cat Pokémon the ones with issues?" Korrina asked no one in particular.

* * *

Shinx watched his new Alpha with great curiosity. Along with Fennekin, she was attempting some sort of dance routine. What purpose it served eluded the blue feline, however. Was it a way to communicate information? A mating ritual? A display of power?

Serena must have realized that Shinx was curious, because she stopped her dance and began to walk towards him.

"Hello, Shinx," she said with a smile. "Are you wondering what we're doing?"

"Shinx, Shinx," the Flash Pokémon said in confirmation.

"Well," Serena explained, "I want to become a Pokémon Performer. That's someone who does artsy stuff in front of big crowds. Fennekin and I want to create a really great Performance routine to impress a lot of people. If we can do that, we'll win Princess Keys, which will let perform in the Master Class. And if we do really well there, I'll become the Kalos Queen, and we'll be the best performance team in all of Kalos!"

Shinx tilted his head. Now that he'd heard more about this whole Pokémon Performer thing, it didn't sound as interesting as before.

"Why don't you join us, Shinx? I'll bet you'd love it!"

Shinx closed his eyes and looked away. While he was willing to accept Serena as his Alpha, he didn't want to do any performing until he learned more about his new pack.

Serena sighed. While she knew that Shinx wasn't quite comfortable with her yet, she had been hoping that he'd at least be a bit interested in performing.

"Okay, Shinx. If you don't want to, that's fine. But you're still free to join whenever you want, okay?"

"Shinx," Shinx said simply. Realizing that it was all she was likely to get for a while, Serena got up and walked away. As she rejoined her starter, they went back to practicing their routine.

Despite his reluctance to perform with them, the blue cub kept watching the duo. While the idea of doing such things to impress people sounded rather silly, he couldn't help but admit to himself that watching them was somewhat enjoyable.

...Not that he'd ever want to do any of that.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Yay! Serena caught her first Pokémon! Not something she had in canon, (don't worry, Pancham will show up sooner or later) but hopefully something that will work out for her. Litleo seems to approve, at least.**_

 _ **For this chapter, I tried to focus a bit more on the Pokémon rather than the trainers, given that I felt that I'd focused too much on the humans for the past few chapters (Though to be fair, it's kind of hard to write beings who don't speak human). I particularly enjoyed looking into the strange world of Litleo. The next chapter will probably be more about the trainers, though.**_

 _ **Speaking of next chapter, I'm super excited for it. Not only will we be introducing a very important character for our story, but we're also going to meet my absolute favorite Pokémon!**_


	26. A Big Surprise At The Battle Chateau

As the group walked along Route 7, Rotom was displaying various places of interest that could be visited by traveling trainers. However, while there was no doubt that the places he described were interesting, the haunted device had an unrivaled ability to make all its descriptions… less so.

"And the many varieties of compost of the Route 7 Berry Fields are very effective at making berries flower! You can tell because they smell so _delicious_! Made will all-natural berries and Pokémon-"

Ash quickly shoved Rotom back into his pocket.

"Well…" he said, trying to get Rotom's description of the Berry Fields, as well as its earlier description of the Pokémon Daycare. "Does anyone know of anything interesting around this route?"

"Well," said Korrina, "have you guys heard about the Battle Chateau?"

"What's that?" asked Ash, his interest piqued by the mention of the word _battle_.

"It's a facility that's made to look like an old-timey castle," Korrina explained. "Trainers who battle the are given various noble titles, which indicate how many battles they have won. The purpose is to not only become stronger, but also display grace and honor in battle."

"Huh, that sounds interesting," said Brock. "It certainly would be nice to get some battles in."

"You bet!" Ash said as he pumped his fist. "Let's go and show how strong we are!"

"Pikachu!"

"Not so fast, Ash," Korrina laughed. "You can only participate by recommendation."

At this, Ash fell over, causing the rest of the group to chuckle.

"Aww… how are we going to get in?" he asked as he got back up.

"Oh, don't you worry," said Korrina. "Gym Leaders have automatic access. And in case you forgot, my Gramps is a Gym Leader, and I'm a Gym Leader in-training. Just let me do the talking and we'll get right in."

"Lucar-car," Lucario confirmed.

"Oh, yeah," Ash said Mareepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "I forgot about that."

Pikachu groaned, and the others laughed.

* * *

"So, here we are!"

The group stared in awe at the building in front of them. Just as Korrina had said, it was shaped like an old castle, with white brick walls, tall spires and towers, and a vast battlefield just outside the building.

"So, what do you think?" Korrina asked.

"It's so cool!" said Ash. "I can't wait to have some battles!"

"Pika Pikachu!"

"I can see that, said Korrina. "Just remember-"

"Yeah, grace and honor," said Ash. "I won't forget that!"

As they reached the door, Korrina reached for the door and knocked. After a few seconds, it opened to reveal an older man dressed in an elegant suit, with a monocle and a moustache.

"Ah, Lady Korrina!" the man said as he spotted the blonde haired girl. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"Yes indeed," Korrina said with a bow. "It's good to see you, Turner."

"And you as well, Lady Korrina," replied Turner. "And who might these people be?"

"These are some friends I'm traveling with," Korrina said as she introduced her friends. "They are interested in learning more about the Battle Chateau."

"Hi there!" said Ash. "My name's Ash, and this is my buddy Pikachu."

"Pikachu!"

"My name's Serena," said Serena.

"And I'm Brock."

"It's good to meet you all," said Turner as he held the door open. "Please, allow me to welcome you to the Battle Chateau."

As the group entered the building, they were amazed by what they saw. The room was decorated with classy paintings, sculptures, and other works of art. The drapes and carpets were crafted from the finest materials, as we're the various pieces of furniture. Finally the halls were filled with many elegantly dressed trainers.

"Wow," said Serena as they walked through the hall. "This place is so sophisticated!"

"Indeed it is," said Turner. "Here in the Battle Chateau, we wish to create an environment where trainers can enjoy both formal meetings and honorable battles. Most of all, we seek to simulate the battles of old, where trainers battled to demonstrate their knowledge and chivalry to all. At the Battle Chateau, every trainer is a knight with a noble title; by winning battles, a knight ascends higher in the nobility."

"Nobility?" Ash asked curiously.

"That's right," said Korrina. "Those who win their first battle in the Chateau are granted the rank of Baron or Baroness. Those who win a certain number of times are promoted to Viscount or Viscountess. Next are Earls and Countesses, Marquises and Marchionesses, then Dukes and Dutchesses. The final, and most coveted rank, is the Grand Duke or Grand Dutchesses."

"Wow," said Brock. "They must be really good!"

"Are there any of them here today?" Ash asked excitedly. "I want to challenge them!"

"Don't get your hopes up," Korrina said with a chuckle. "You can only challenge knights of your rank or below."

Ash groaned, causing the rest of the group to chuckle.

"Don't worry, Ash," said Brock. "Maybe a Grand Duke will challenge you."

"Perhaps," said Turner. "First, however, you must prove yourself worthy of a noble title. And to do that, you must be victorious in a battle against another member of the nobility."

"So, basically, you need to be challenged by another member of the Battle Chateau, then win against them."

Ash and the others turned around in surprise at the voice. To their delight, they spotted a pair of familiar faces.

"Alain!" said Ash.

"And Mairin!" said Serena.

"Hey guys," Alain said as he reached them. "I have to say, I didn't expect to see you guys here. It's kind of an exclusive place."

"But a really cool one!" said Mairin.

"Yeah, it is," said Brock. "We had a friend bring us here."

At this, Alain and Mairin noticed the new addition to the group.

"Oh, hi there!" said Mairin. "I'm Mairin! It's nice to meet you!"

"It's nice to meet you too," said Korrina. "My name's Korrina, and this is Lucario!"

"Lucario!"

"Oh, yeah," said Alain. "Aren't you the granddaughter of the Shalour City Gym Leader?"

"Yup, that's me!" Korrina confirmed. "Lucario and I are traveling around to get a 100 win streak to prove we're ready for Mega-Evolution!"

"You're trying to Mega Evolve?" Mairin said excitedly. "That's so cool! So are we!"

"Trainers don't Mega Evolve," said Alain. "Pokémon do."

"Whatever!" said Mairin. "Me and Alain on a Mega-Evolution quest, and nothing is going to stop us!"

Ash grinned. While Mairin was young, she had a lot of energy and enthusiasm.

"So, if the two of you are here, does that mean you have noble titles?" Korrina asked curiously.

"We do indeed," said Alain. "I'm a Viscount, and Mairin is a Baroness. Right now, Mairin is just starting out, but I'm just one win away from the Earl title."

"Awesome!" said Korrina. "I'm a Viscountess too, and I'm almost at the Countess rank too!"

"Nice," said Alain. "Why don't we battle for our next title?"

Korrina grinned. "I like the sound of that. But I should warn you that I'm not about to let my win streak get broken just so you can get a noble title."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Alain said as he pulled out a white glove. Korrina pulled out a similar glove, and the two tapped them against each other. Ash and the others watched the display with great interest.

"What is that?" Serena asked.

"Apparently, it's how they formally accept battle requests here," said Mairin. "They usually request battles by draping those gloves over other knights' shoulders."

"Huh," said Serena. "That sounds interesting."

* * *

Just outside the building, the many trainers gathered to watch the two "knights" battle. As they walked onto the battlefield, Ash took note of the bright blue cloaks the two were wearing.

"Look at those cloaks," he said. "Do all the trainers here were them?"

"Indeed," said Turner. "They symbolize the rank of a knight. Barons wear white cloaks, and Viscounts such as your friend wear blue. As the ranks ascend higher, the colors change from blue to green, yellow, and red. Finally, Grand Dukes wear purple."

"Wow," Ash said in awe. "So you can tell what rank people here are by what cloaks they have?"

"Pikapi," Pikachu said as he tried to picture his trainer wearing a purple cloak.

On the battlefield, Korrina and Alain walked up to each other and tapped their Pokeballs against each other. They then walked back to opposite sides of the field and took a bow. They then let our their Pokémon, revealing Lucario and Charmander.

"This is a battle between Marquis Alain and Marchioness Korrina," Turner announced. "Begin now!"

Immediately, the two trainers gave out their first commands.

"Power-Up Punch!"

"Ember!"

Charmander blasted out a ball of fiery particles, which Lucario jumped over. The Aura Pokémon then slammed a glowing fist into his opponent, sending him backwards.

"Now use Bone Rush!" Korrina ordered.

"Not happening!" Alain yelled. "Block it with Metal Claw!

Lucario put his paws together to summon his energy bone, then swung it at the Lizard Pokémon. Charmander winced, but managed to stretch out his claws just in time to catch the attack.

"Now blast him with Ember!"

Charmander breathed out his attack, which hit Lucario and caused him to step back. He then fired another Ember, forcing the blue canid backwards.

"Don't let him beat you!" Korrina yelled. "Use another Power-Up Punch!"

"Charmander! Dodge it!"

Lucario's fist glowed as he lunged at his opponent. Charmander tried to get out of the way, but the Aura Pokémon managed to hit him.

"Now use Bone Rush!" Korrina ordered.

"Dodge and use Dragon Rage!"

Lucario rushed forwards with his bone staff. This time, however, Charmander managed to get out of the way, and blasted out a ball of colorful flames. The attack hit the Aura Pokémon, breaking his concentration and causing the staff to dissolve.

"Now take him down with Ember!" Alain yelled.

Charmander fired his attack at Lucario. This time, however, the fighting type bounced out of the way. Then, he formed his bone staff once more, and struck the Lizard Pokémon with enough force to send him flying.

"Chaaar!"

"Charmander!" Alain yelled.

"Yes!" said Korrina. "Now finish it!"

Lucario rushed upwards, then smacked his bone into Charmander, sending him downwards. The orange reptile crashed into the ground, gave out a weak cry, and fainted.

"No!" said Alain. "Charmander!"

"Charmander is unable to battle!" Turner announced. "Therefore, the victory goes to Marchioness Korrina, who now has enough victories to advance to the rank of Countess!"

A huge grin formed on Korrina's face, and she ran up to Lucario and gave him a hug.

"Lucario! We did it!" she said happily.

"Lucario!"

As the two celebrated, Alain walked up to her with Charmander in his arms.

"Well, I guess you were better than me," he said. "But once I get some more experience and rise to the next rank, I expect a rematch!"

Korrina smiled as she stretched out her hand. "Of course! But next time, Lucario and I will be a lot stronger! And don't forget, we're still going to find the Mega Stones!"

Alain shook her hand. "I'll be counting on that."

* * *

"Well," said Brock, "I think it looks good on you!"

"Yeah," said Serena. "It definitely shows how much better you've gotten!"

Korrina smiled as her friends admired her new green cloak. "Thanks, guys! It's great to get the Countess rank. Just three more ranks to go before I'm a Grand Dutchess!"

"Car-Lucario!" said Lucario.

"You'll have to win quite a few battles if you want to get there," Alain said observantly. "And the trainers at the higher ranks keep getting stronger."

"And if you get beaten, you'll have to start your win streak all over again," Ash pointed out.

Korrina shrugged. "Well, I'll just have to train elsewhere. Then come back when Lucario and I have mastered Mega Evolution!"

"Cario! Cario!"

Her friends laughed as she and Lucario both struck a pose.

"Well, at least you have plenty of enthusiasm," said Alain. "Well, I'm pretty sure you'll get there eventually."

"And I'm pretty sure you'll get Mega Evolution too!" Mairin added.

Korrina smiled. "Thanks for the support, guys. Me and Lucario will keep working hard to beat all our opponents, and become the greatest team ever!"

She then paused for a moment, then grabbed her bag. She then pulled out her scrapbook.

"By the way, do you mind if I get your Charmander's clawprint?"

Alain blinked in surprise while everyone else laughed.

* * *

Meanwhile, unobserved by the group, a lone figure observed them. In particular, his gaze rested upon the boy with the Pikachu on his shoulder.

"Well, I certainly didn't expect him to be here," he said to nobody in particular. "Still, this could be a truly unique opportunity. After all, he clearly has a deep bond with his Pikachu. And, perhaps…"

He shook his head, then pulled out a Pokeball.

"Perhaps this will work."

* * *

A short while later, Ash and Mairin stood on opposite sides of the battlefield, each holding a Pokeball in their hand. While Ash was wearing his usual clothes, Mairin was wearing a white cloak, one which denoted her Baronness rank.

"Well, let's see if Ash has what it takes to become a member of the aristocracy," said Alain.

"Oh, he shall be quite a noble and distinguished member of the Battle Chateau," said Korrina.

"You guys take this all so seriously," said Serena. "I mean, when it comes down to it, these are just battles, right?"

"Yeah," said Alain, "but that doesn't mean we can't have fun with it."

On the field, Ash and Mairin took a bow, then revealed their respective Pokémon; Ash sent out his Litleo, while Mairin sent out her Bulbasaur, Twilight.

"This is a battle between the newcomer Ash and Baroness Mairin," Turner announced. "Begin now!"

"Litleo!" Ash called. "Use Ember!"

"Block it with Razor Leaf!"

Litleo fired her Ember at Twilight, who retaliated with a stream of sharpened leaves. The hot particles were mostly blocked by the leaves, but a few managed to reach the Seed Pokémon, who winced slightly.

"Twilight!" Mairin called. "Grab onto Litleo with Vine Whip!"

"Dodge it, Litleo!"

"Bulba!" Twilight cried as she unleashed her vines and sent them right towards Litleo. The Lion Cub Pokémon jumped away as quickly as she could, just barely managing to sidestep the vines. Her opponent attempted to grab her once more, but she managed to stay just out of reach.

Then, for a moment, as Litleo turned back to make sure she was out of danger, she began to notice the way the attack was moving. Even though the vines were attached to a Pokémon, the way they swayed around made it seem almost as if they were alive. And, to the little feline, it seemed as if they were inviting her.

Mesmerized by the motions, Litleo pounced on the vines. Twilight cried out in pain as Litleo jabbed out with her paws.

"Litleo!" Ash yelled as he watched his Pokémon's actions. "Stop that! You have to focus on the battle!"

"Pikapika!" Pikachu cried as he watched his teammate acting in such an unusual manner.

Though momentarily confused by the sudden turn of events, Mairin quickly regained her composure.

"Grab her Twilight!"

The Seed Pokémon was quick to comply, and wrapped her vines around her distracted opponent. Oblivious, Litleo continued to thrash with her paws, not realizing that she no longer had the vines to play with.

"Now smash her against the floor!"

With all her might, Twilight lifted Litleo off the ground, then brought her crashing down. Meanwhile, Litleo finally managed to realize that she was no longer pouncing the vines… right before she hit the floor.

"Liiit!"

For a moment, she groaned as she got back to her paws. Then, she turned towards her opponent and growled.

She did _not_ like being attacked by things that pretended to be playful.

"Litleo! You need to focus on the battle! We have to win this!"

Litleo turned back to her Alpha and cried out in determination. She wouldn't let herself get trapped by false promises of playful funtimes anymore!

"Good!" said Ash. "Now use Noble Roar!"

Litleo opened her mouth and unleashed an earsplitting roar, which made Twilight wince as her body glowed red.

"Now blast her with Ember!"

"Block it out again!" said Mairin.

Once again, Litleo and Twilight sent out their respective attacks. As before, the Razor Leaf barrage absorbed some of the Embers. This time, however, more of the Embers managed to make it through, hitting the small grass type with fiery particles.

"Bulbaaa!"

"No!" yelled Mairin. "Twilight!"

Back on the sidelines, the rest of the group watched in fascination.

"Why isn't Razor Leaf blocking it as well as the first time?" asked Serena.

"It's because of Noble Roar," Korrina explained. "It lowers a Pokémon's attack power, so their attacks are less potent. So when Twilight tried to use Razor Leaf to block out that second Ember, it had less power and so wasn't able to protect her as well!"

"That being said, Razor Leaf is hardly a good choice to defend against a fire type attack," said Alain. "After all, even at full power, Razor Leaf still got burned through by those Embers. Still, it wasn't quite as bad at the beginning."

Back on the battlefield, Twilight was gasping as she kept sending out leaves to protect herself. However, It was now clear that she was too exhausted to go on for much longer. And soon enough, she stopped firing her attack and slumped to the floor, gasping for breath.

"Okay, Litleo!" Ash called. "Finish it with Tackle!"

Litleo rushed forwards, kicking up a trail of dust as she ran. She then smashed into Twilight, sending her flying backwards. The Seed Pokémon cried in pain as she landed on the flood, then groaned as she went unconscious.

"No! Twilight!" Mairin called.

"Bulbasaur is unable to battle!" Turner announced. "Therefore, the victory goes to the newcomer Ash, who has proven worthy of being granted the rank of Baron!"

"Yes!" Ash said as he rushed onto the battlefield to hug Litleo. As he rushed in, however, he was surprised to find her curled up into a ball, fast asleep.

"Pikachu…"

"I hear you, buddy."

* * *

Ash looked in a mirror as he looked at his new white cloak. He definitely felt a sense of refinement as he wore it, and he liked being a part of the Battle Chateau.

"Wow, Ash," said Serena. "You look great!"

Ash blushed slightly at his crush's compliment. "Thanks, Serena. I think you'd look pretty good in one of these too."

Serena chuckled. "Maybe I would. Although I can't quite see myself doing this sort of thing."

"Are you kidding me?" said Korrina. "You'd rock that purple cloak!"

She then stood up straight and put on a serious face.

" _Greeting everyone! Please make way for the the most honored Grand Duchess Serena Gabena!_ "

Everyone laughed as Serena chuckled nervously.

"Well, Ash," said Brock. "Now that you're a member of the Battle Chateau Nobility, what are you going to do?"

"Challenge others, obviously!" said Ash. "What else do trainers do here?"

"Heh, that's true," said Alain. "Of course, since you're at the bottom of the hierarchy, you can only challenge your fellow Barons. So if you want to have a battle with anyone of a higher rank, you'd have to be challenged by them."

As if on cue, a white glove landed on Ash's shoulder.

"...Like that," said Alain.

Surprised by the glove, Ash looked up at the person who had challenged him. He then gasped as he saw who it was.

"Uh… hi, dad?"

The rest of the group blinked, then looked at the man. He looked very much like Ash, with similar messy black hair and chocolate brown eyes. He even had a jacket similar to the one Ash had worn before going to Kalos, albeit red rather than blue. And he was currently giving his son a friendly smile.

The group then looked back to Ash, who still seemed just a bit stunned.

"Sorry," said Korrina. "That's your dad?"

"Pikaaa?" Pikachu asked just as surprised as anyone else.

"Uh, yeah," said Ash, still a bit surprised. "Well… long time no see, I guess?"

"Yes it has," Ash's father said with a smile on his face. "And I have to say, I wasn't expecting you to be here in Kalos. If you don't mind me asking, what brings you here?"

"Well, I'm competing in the Kalos League," said Ash, slowly becoming more accustomed to the fact that his father was in front of him. "But mostly because an old friend of mine was here."

At this, his gaze briefly turned towards Serena. This did not go unnoticed by his father, who looked in her direction as well.

"Ah," he said, a slightly mischievous look on his face. Young love."

At this, both Ash and Serena blushed intensely and began to panic.

"Love?!"

"Dad!"

"But he's-"

"I'm not-"

"We don't-"

"She's just…"

The older man burst into laughter, as did Brock, Korrina, and Pikachu. Alain and Lucario grinned as well, while Mairin just seemed confused.

"Relax, guys," Ash's father said as he calmed down. "I'm just messing with you."

Ash and Serena both gave him awkward grimaces that may have passed as smiles.

"Eheheheheh," said Serena. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Ketchum."

"Please, just call me Red."

"Well, this is all very nice and all," said Alain, "But I think you and your son were going to have a battle?"

Ash and Red looked at each other, then smiled.

"I think we are," the older trainer said.

* * *

Ash couldn't help but feel nervous as he made his way onto the battlefield. It had been quite a long time since he'd last seen his father, and he was worried about how well he'd do against him in battle. He didn't know what Red had been doing for the past few years, but he was certain that he'd been training his Pokémon to be stronger than almost any other.

Of course, Ash seriously doubted that his father had spent three years standing at the top of a snowy mountain waiting for a legendary trainer of similar skill to challenge him.

As he walked up to his father, he tried not to let his nervousness show. Even so, as he tapped Pikachu's Pokeball against the one his father was holding, he saw Red giving him a reassuring smile, and felt some of his nervousness fade away. As he walked back, he took a bow, then looked back at Pikachu.

"You ready for this, buddy?"

"Pi-Pikachu!" Pikachu said as he rushed off onto the battlefield. Red watched them with a neutral expression, then smiled.

"Your Pikachu doesn't spend much time in his Pokeball, does he?"

"He really doesn't like it," Ash replied.

"I can understand that," said Red as he lifted his Pokeball. "Let's see how well he battles!"

With a flick of his wrist he sent the ball flying out onto the field, where it burst open with a flash. As the light died down, it revealed a small blue bipedal canid with black legs, a black face mask, and a yellow neck. To Ash's surprise, it almost looked like a miniature Lucario.

"Riolu!"

"Who's that Pokémon?" he asked, causing Rotom to fly out of his pocket.

" _Riolu, the Emanation Pokémon, and the pre-evolved form of Lucario. Despite it's small size, Riolu can crest three mountains and cross two canyons in one night_ _._ So if you thought your workout was tough, wait until he makes you train like a Riolu!"

"Well, that sounds like a pretty tough Pokémon," said Ash. "Okay, Pikachu! Don't let your guard down!"

"Pika!"

Back in the crowd, Ash's friends looked on in amazement.

"Hey, Korrina?" Serena asked. "Doesn't Lucario evolve from Riolu?"

"Yeah!" said Korrina. "It's one of the coolest Pokémon out there!"

"Cario!" Lucario said in agreement.

"And now Ash's dad has one," said Brock. "This should be an interesting fight."

Back on the field, Turner began to announce the battle.

"This is a battle between Baron Ash and Grand Duke Red. Begin now!"

"Thunderbolt!" Ash called, not wasting a second.

"Riolu, dodge it!" Red yelled.

Pikachu blasted out a huge burst of electrical energy which headed straight for Riolu. However, the Emanation Pokémon swiftly jumped out of the way.

"Now get in close and use Force Palm!"

"Olu!" Riolu cried as he rushed in and opened his hand, which began to glow blue. He then smashed it into Pikachu, who was sent backwards a few feet.

"Pikaaa!"

"Pikachu, don't give up!" Ash yelled. "Quick Attack!"

The mouse Pokémon cried out as he rushed forwards, hitting Riolu before he could react.

"Another Force Palm!"

"Use Quick Attack to dodge it!"

Riolu attempted to hit Pikachu again, but this time Pikachu was able to evade the attack.

"Not bad, son," Red said as his Pokémon recovered. "Now let's see how you deal with this! Bullet Punch!"

To Ash's shock, the blue canid rushed up to Pikachu at an astounding speed. Then, before either of them could react, there was an incredibly loud bang, which was followed by another, and then another, and another. The Emanation Pokémon then moved backwards and pumped his arms, which let out a strange clicking sound.

"Whoa," said Ash. He then turned to Pikachu, who seemed slightly dazed by the attack, but not very injured.

"Now Blaze Kick!"

The yellow rodent barely had any time to recover before his opponent jumped into the air and dived towards him with a leg that was covered in flames. With a Quick Attack, Pikachu got out of the way just in time.

"Try again!"

"Rio!"

Ash gritted his teeth. He had to admit that his father was pretty good, even with an unevolved Pokémon. The question now was how to turn the battle around.

He then had an idea.

"Catch it!"

Admittedly it wasn't the best idea he'd ever had, but if it worked he might just grab the victory.

"What?!" Red asked in surprise.

Pikachu was also surprised by Ash's order, but decided to trust his trainer. Thus, he held his paws out and grabbed the flaming leg just as it hit him. The flames made it quite painful to do so, but he did not let go.

"Now use Thunderbolt! Full Power!"

Red's face paled as Pikachu grinned.

"Pikachuuuu!" the electric-type cried as he unleashed as much electricity as he could.

"Oluuuu!" Riolu cried out in pain as the attack hit him, causing the flames on his leg to fizzle out.

"Great!" said Ash. "Now Quick Attack!"

Pikachu let go of Riolu, then slammed into him at high speed. The Emanation Pokemon was pushed back several feet, landing on the floor next to Red.

"Riolu?!"

Riolu gasped as he tried to get back up, then collapsed.

"Riouuu…"

"Riolu is unable to battle!" Turner declared. "Therefore, the victory goes to Baron Ash!"

For a moment, Ash was speechless. He could hardly believe he'd actually done it. He'd had an actual battle with his father, and won!

Then, a huge grin formed on his face.

"Pikachu! We did it!"

"Pikapika!" Pikachu cried as he jumped up into his trainer's arms.

On the other side of the field, Red returned Riolu to his Pokeball. He then looked towards his son and smiled.

"Yes. I think this will work."

* * *

As Ash and his friends made their way back into the Chateau, they talked excitedly about the battle.

"That was so cool!" said Mairin. "Your dad really is great at training Pokémon!"

"Yeah!" said Serena. "I mean, Riolu was a really tough Pokemon even though it hasn't even evolved!"

"I know," said Ash. "I was actually kind of worried for Pikachu for a moment!"

"Pika, Pikachu."

"Yeah, Riolu is pretty great," said Korrina. "I remember back before Lucario evolved. We had so much fun together!"

"Lucario! Lu!"

"I definitely see that," said Red. "You and your Lucario are clearly very close. Have you had him for long?"

"Of course!" said Korrina. "He was my very first Pokémon!"

"I see," said Red as his gaze shifted towards her Key Stone. "Would I be correct in assuming that you can Mega Evolve him?"

"Well, not yet," Korrina admitted. "I still don't have the Mega Stone, and I'm working on getting a 100 win streak before we try anyway."

"Lucario, Lu."

"Well," said Red, "I wish you luck with that. It's definitely something impressive to see."

He then turned to Ash. "Well, son, I am certainly impressed with how well you train your Pikachu. You're definitely a trainer to look out for."

Ash blinked. Even after the battle, he hadn't quite been ready for his father's praise.

"Uh, thanks?" he said.

"Of course," said Red. "Of course, there is something I'd like you to do, if it's not too much to ask."

Then, to Ash's surprise, his father pulled out a Pokeball. The rest of the group watched, both fascinated and surprised.

"Who's in there?" asked Serena.

"Oh, this is Riolu's Pokeball."

Ash's eyes widened.

"Riolu's?! But why-"

"Riolu is a very strong Pokémon," said Red. "And I enjoy having him on my team. However, I feel as if he has not been able to truly reach his potential with me. Therefore, I have been searching for a trainer whose style of training is more appropriate for him. And I think you might just be that trainer."

Ash looked at his father, then down at the ball. While he was excited by the prospect of a new Pokémon, he was also uneasy about what his father had said. After all, Red was a much older trainer, with far more experience than Ash. If his father wasn't able to bring out Riolu's full potential, how could he?

Then again, Red seemed to believe that Ash could do it. And having his father's trust would go a long way in giving Ash the confidence he needed to raise such a unique Pokémon. Not to mention that Riolu was a very cool Pokémon, and Ash would certainly love to have him on the team. Of course, all this depended on whether or not the Emanation Pokémon would want to have Ash as his trainer.

There was one way to find out.

"Do you think I can ask Riolu?"

Red nodded, then pressed the button and released Riolu. The little blue canid shook his head, then looked up in surprise.

"Hey, Riolu?" he said as he got down on one knee. "Your trainer, my dad, thinks that you'd do better with me than with him. I mean, I'm not sure if that's true, but I think I'd like to have a Pokémon like you on my team."

Riolu looked at Ash with great curiosity.

"So, what do you think?" said Ash. "Would you like to be my Pokémon?"

"Pikapi Pikachu!" Pikachu said in encouragement.

Riolu looked Ash in the eye, and for a moment the raven haired trainer felt an inexplicable rush of energy coursing through him. In addition, he felt, for a moment, another heartbeat, another life force, next to his own.

Then Riolu looked away, and the moment was gone.

"Ri-Riolu?"

The little canid looked up at Ash's father and put his paw out. Red smiled at this, then handed him his Pokeball. Riolu took it in his paw, then stared at it for a few seconds. He then turned towards Ash and offered him the ball.

"Olu. Riolu."

Ash smiled, then took the Pokeball.

"Okay, then. I guess you're part of the team now!"

"Pikapika!"

The Emanation Pokémon smiled and held up his paw, which Ash shook. Red smiled as he looked on.

"Well, this was certainly a pleasure," he said. "Unfortunately, I now have to go."

Ash and Riolu looked up in surprise. "You're leaving already?"

"I know," said Red. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I have business to attend to. But don't worry too much. I'm going to be in the Kalos region for a good amount of time, so we'll probably hear from each other again."

Ash sighed. He'd been looking forwards to talking with his father again after not having heard from him for such a long time. However, the prospect of seeing him again cheered him up a bit.

"Well, I'd like to see you soon," Ash said hopefully.

"I'm sure you will," Red said as he turned around and began to walk away. "Keep training hard, and we might even have another battle!"

Ash grinned. "Oh, I'm going to win next time too!"

"We'll see about that!"

As Ash watched his father walk away, he looked at Pikachu, then at Riolu.

"So what do you think, guys? Do you think we've got what it takes to be the very best?"

Pikachu and Riolu both smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

"Pikachu!"

"Riolu!"

* * *

"Well," Alain said as they stood right outside the the Battle Chateau, "That was certainly an interesting experience."

"Yeah," said Ash. "I really wasn't expecting to meet my dad here."

"Me neither," said Brock. "Even though we barely got to talk to him at all."

"Well, my dad's barely ever had time for anything," Ash said, a hint of sadness in his voice. "I mean, I haven't seen him in years, and now he shows up in Kalos of all places. And then he gives me a new Pokémon. I'm… kind of confused about it all, to be honest."

"Pikapiii," Pikachu said as he patted Ash's shoulder.

"Well, if you see him again, you should probably ask him about it," said Serena. "I mean, he definitely seems to care about you, and he said you'd probably see him again soon."

"I guess so," Ash said, a small smile forming on his face. "And if we do meet again, I want to have another battle!"

Brock chuckled. "That's just like you Ash. Always excited for a battle."

The group laughed together.

"Well, it was definitely fun meeting up with you again," said Alain.

"Yeah!" said Mairin. "Even though I lost, it was fun to have a battle! And you know next time I'm going to win!"

Ash laughed. Mairin reminded him a lot of himself, albeit a few years younger.

"Well, I'll be looking forwards to that," said Ash. "So you'd better be ready!"

"Oh yeah, I'll be ready!" said Mairin.

"Well, you won't get any stronger if we don't get going," said Alain. "After all, Ash has been training for a lot longer than you."

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Mairin said as she grabbed Alain's arm. "Let's go now!"

"Mairin!" Alain said as he was dragged off. "We need to say goodbyeeeee!"

"Okay! Bye guys! See you soon!"

As the energetic young trainer pulled her hapless companion along, Ash and the rest of his group chuckled nervously.

"Well, at least she's enthusiastic," said Korrina.

"Yeah," said Ash. "Can you imagine traveling with someone who was always in a hurry to get to their next battle and dragged everyone else along for the ride?"

The raven haired trainer waited for a few seconds for someone to answer, only to see everyone else looking away awkwardly.

"What?" he asked, slightly suspicious. Then, to his surprise, Rotom popped out.

"Because you're always in a hurry to get to their next battle and drag everyone else along for the ride, silly!"

"What?!" Ash said angrily. "That's not true at all!"

"Well," said Brock, "you do tend to go wherever the next battle is."

"Brock! Don't encourage Rotom!"

"Don't worry, Ashy! You do that all on your own!"

"Hey!"

Rotom floated away laughing while Ash chased after it in rage, leaving the rest to groan at the sight.

* * *

 ** _A/N: So, I'd like to say there was a really good reason why this took so long to come out, but it was just laziness. But I'll do my best to update sooner next chapter. Promise!_**

 ** _Anyway, Riolu is my favorite Pokémon, and one of my greatest disappointments was that Ash never caught the Aura Sphere Riolu. So I decided to fix that._**

 ** _No, that's not to say that this one will… or will not… who knows…_**

 ** _Also, a bit of my headcanon: Bullet Punch causes arms to bang, and then reload, like actual guns._**

 ** _And finally, we also have Ash's dad. I know he didn't have much of an impact in this chapter, aside from giving Ash a new Pokemon, but he'll be important later on._**


	27. Of Rivals and Mega Stones

Connecting cave, which connected Routes 7 and 8, was often referred to as Zubat Roost. The reason why quickly became apparent to anyone who attempted to walk through.

"RUUUUUNNN!"

Just as Rotom had predicted at the Santalune gym, the Zubat were everywhere.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Serena yelled as the demonic bats swarmed around them.

"Oh my Arceus! They're everywhere!" Korrina yelled.

"Cario! Lucario!"

"I knew I should have brought Crobat along!" yelled Brock.

"Pikachu! Zap them!"

Much obliged, Pikachu jumped off his trainer's shoulder.

"Pikachuuuuu!"

Unfortunately, it appeared that for each Zubat that fell, two more rushed in to replace them.

"Forget about it!" Ash yelled. "Just run!"

"Pikaaaaa!"

* * *

Finally, the group made it outside. As soon as they were out in the daylight, the Zubat horde stopped and retreated back into the cave. The entire group breathed a sigh of relief, then slumped to the floor.

"That," Serena said as she gasped for air, "is something I never want to experience again."

"Agreed," said Ash.

Rotom chose this moment to fly out of Ash's pocket.

"What did I tell you? Those dang bats are everywhere."

"Shut up, Rotom," the entire group chorused.

"Fine, fine," Rotom huffed. "I just hope you learned something from this experience."

"I hereby propose that we never go into a cave without a whole bunch of repels," said Korrina.

A round of groaning was promptly interpreted as a unanimous approval.

* * *

Having determined that they were too tired to go any further, the group settled down to rest and set up camp. Brock was cooking a meal while the others sat down at the table, a bit too tired out to do much.

"So, we'll be reaching Cyllage City soon," said Korrina. "From what I've heard the Gym Leader there specializes in Rock types Pokemon, so It'll be best to have some way of hitting them super effectively."

"Rock types," Ash said thoughtfully. He still remembered the first time he'd fought Brock, back when he was a beginning trainer. Oh, how woefully unprepared he'd been back then. Needless to say, this time he wouldn't just rush in with Pikachu.

"Pikapi," Pikachu said, no doubt remembering the exact same scenario.

"So, your Litleo and Pidgeot are both vulnerable to rock types, so they're probably not options," Korrina continued. "Riolu, Larvitar, and Froakie would probably be best, as Fighting, Ground, and Water types are strong against Rock types. Pikachu doesn't have any specific advantages or disadvantages against Rock types, but since they tend to have secondary types that limit the usefulness of Electric attacks, it might be best to teach him a good coverage move or two.

Ash rubbed his chin. "Yeah, I've been thinking about teaching him something like Grass Knot or Iron Tail to give him more flexibility. I mean, Thunderbolt and Quick Attack are great, but they're not great when fighting a Ground Type."

"I don't know much about Grass Knot," said Korrina, "But Lucario is a Steel type, so he might be able to help with Iron Tail."

"Car, Car!" Lucario said as he held out a fist.

Ash smiled. "That would definitely help a lot!"

"Pikachu!"

Korrina nodded, then turned to Serena. The honey blonde girl didn't seem to be listening much, instead focusing on some video on her Holo-Caster.

"Speaking of Cyllage City, they also have a Performance Hall there. So it would be a great time for you to do your debut, Serena."

Upon hearing this, Serena gasped and looked up.

"My… debut?"

"Yeah," said Korrina. "I mean, you are planning on being a Pokemon Performer, right?"

"Yeah, of course!" said Serena. "It's just… I didn't think it would be this soon."

"Hey, don't worry about it," said Ash. "Even if you don't get it right the first time, you'll learn from the experience and be able to do it right the next time. And then you'll get better and better, and before you know it, you'll be the Kalos Queen!"

Serena looked at Ash in surprise then smiled. "Thanks, Ash. You're right. I'll just do my best, and it'll all be right!"

Ash smiled, his cheeks glowing slightly. Korrina and Pikachu noticed, and snickered slightly.

"So, what are you watching?" Ash said, changing the topic.

"Oh," said Serena as she held up her Holo-Caster to show the others. On the holo-projected screen, they saw a brown-haired girl with pigtails and a red bow on top.

"What's that?" asked Korrina.

"May's Adventures," said Serena. "It's this new MewTube series about a girl from Hoenn named May, who-"

"Maple or Birch? These timelines are so confusing."

The group turned to look at Rotom, who has a confused look on its face.

"What?" said Serena.

"Nothing," said Rotom, a cheeky smile on its face. "Please, continue."

Serena stared at the possessed device suspiciously, then shrugged and turned back to the others.

"Anyway, May travels around Hoenn with her two friends, Ritchie and Wally. And she's basically documenting all the adventures that they have together. She's relatively new, but she's a lot of fun to watch, and she's already got several thousand subscribers."

Ash blinked at the mention of the name Ritchie. Could it be… no, it was probably just a coincidence.

"Anyway, she's trying to become a Pokemon Coordinator, which is someone who participates in Pokemon Contests. And since that's a lot like Showcases, I'm trying to learn from what I'm seeing in May's videos."

"Sounds like a good idea," said Korrina. "So, do you have any ideas?"

"I think so," said Serena. "Of course, seeing how Contests and Showcases are different in many ways, I'm trying to find ways to adapt the strategies I've seen to showcases."

"That's great!" said Ash. "I'm sure you'll do great!"

Serena and Ash smiled at each other. Then Brock arrived with a pot full of stew.

"Dinner's ready!"

* * *

As the group ate, Riolu watched the rest of his new teammates with fascination. Pikachu, of course, was a strong and dependable Pokémon who had been with Ash since the very beginning. And he was a capable and clever battler, even if he poured much more ketchup onto his food than was strictly necessary. As such, he was the unofficial leader of the group.

Pidgeot was another Pokémon who had been with Ash for a long time. She was clearly a great flier, and a strong battler as well. In addition, from what Riolu could gather, she'd spent a long time as the leader of a Pidgeotto flock, and thus had great wisdom and knowledge.

The others seemed to be relatively new to the squad. Larvitar had been hatched by Ash himself, and seemed to regard him almost as a father figure, although he was rather uneasy around new people and Pokémon. Froakie had been a starter Pokémon, destined to be given to some inexperienced child, but had yearned for a stronger trainer to bring out his full potential. And Litleo… she was something completely different.

As Riolu turned his gaze to the Lion Cub Pokémon, he saw that she was trying to sneak up to Serena's Shinx, who was growling at her menacingly. Litleo didn't seem to notice, however, and smiled at the blue feline.

Riolu shrugged as he turned back to his meal. Before he could eat anything, however, he was surprised to see a green vine crawling into his bowl. The Emanation Pokémon frowned, then grabbed the vine. He then gave it a big yank.

"CHEEESSS!"

A green and brown figure fell next to Riolu. It looked up in surprise, then smiled nervously.

"...Chespin?"

Riolu growled, causing Chespin to sweat. The Spiny Nut Pokémon then rushed off back to his place, right next to Onix. He looked up to his larger partner, who gave him a look that made it quite clear what would happen if he tried to steal any food from him.

Riolu shook his head and took a pawful of food. Before he could put it in his mouth, however, he sensed something unusual. Something like the aura of an unfamiliar being. And it seemed to be coming closer.

Curious, he put down his handful of Pokémon food and walked in the direction of the unfamiliar aura. He scanned the area around him, focusing particularly hard on a series of trees that were located right next to their campsite. He then closed his eyes, trying to discern exactly who the newcomer was.

Then, to his surprise, a large white figure jumped out.

"Absol!"

Riolu jumped backwards in surprise. At the same time, the rest of the group immediately stood up at the sight of the mysterious newcomer.

"Who's that Pokémon?" asked Ash.

"I know!" said Rotom. " _Absol, the Disaster Pokémon. Every time Absol appears before people, it is followed by a disaster such as an earthquake or a tidal wave._ Which means this guy is probably here to bring horrible misfortune on us! Ruuuun!"

A drop of sweat rolled down Ash's forehead, albeit not one of nervousness.

"...You're just making that up, aren't you?" he said as he glared at his Pokedex.

"Eh, sort of," said Rotom. "It actually just senses disasters coming, and appears to people to warn them."

Ash rolled his eyes, then turned back to the new Pokémon in curiosity. He then looked at it slightly more closely, then noticed something strange.

"Hey, what's that thing around its neck?"

The group then looked at what Ash was pointing, and blinked in surprise. Hanging around Absol's neck was a strange stone which had a black and white swirl inside it.

"Wait a second," said Korrina. "I know this Absol!"

Ash and the others turned to Korrina in surprise. Before they could ask, however, they were interrupted by another voice.

"Well, I'm glad you do. Otherwise I'd worry that you're forgetting things."

Korrina froze. She then watched as a figure walked out from behind the trees.

"You!"

The others looked at the newcomer. She was a girl around Korrina's age, with blonde hair and lavender eyes. She was wearing a greenish blue shirt with metallic shoulder pads, a red skirt that was full of skulls and spikes, black leggings, and brown boots. She also had a red headband, as well as yellow strings wrapped around her lower arms and palms. Finally, she was smirking at the sight of Korrina.

"Yeah, it's me," the girl said. "I'm glad you recognized me, Korrina. I wouldn't want you to become senile before your grandpa."

"Hey!" Korrina said angrily as she lifted her fist. "I've been working with Lucario to become strong enough to master Mega Evolution!"

As the two girls argued, Lucario and Absol looked at each other and shrugged. The others, however, just stared in confusion.

"So, are you two friends?" asked Serena.

"Depends on your definition of friends," said Korrina. "Astrid and I have known each other since we were kids, and we've been fighting to master Mega Evolution before the other can ever since."

"It's more of a mutually respectful rivalry than an actual friendship," the girl who was apparently called Astrid said. "I still haven't gotten a Key Stone, but Absol finally managed to find a piece of Absolite a couple of days ago.

Korrina's eyes widened. "No way! Where did you find it?!"

"Oh, come on, Korrina," said Astrid. "What would the point be if I just told you? You have to go out and do it on your own for it to count."

As Korrina fumed, Astrid turned a curious eye to the other members of the group.

"Well, it's nice to see that Korrina's made some new friends, though. I'm Astrid. Who are you?"

"Hi," said Ash, still somewhat taken aback by the exchange he'd just seen. "My name's Ash, and this is Pikachu.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu said as he jumped up onto Ash's shoulder.

"I'm Serena," said Serena.

"And I'm Brock!"

Before Astrid could react, Brock rushed up to her and grabbed her by the hands.

"It's so nice to meet you!" the brown-haired teen cried as he gave Astrid a love-stricken gaze. "I know you and Korrina don't exactly get along, but that doesn't mean we can't-"

Before Brock could continue, his whole body lit up as he was blasted with electricity.

"GYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAAAHH!"

He then dropped in front of a bemused Astrid, revealing a floating red device.

"And I'm Rotom. I live inside a Pokedex and give information to people. Also, I make sure this idiot stays on his leash."

Astrid stared at Rotom in shock, though whether it was because of the haunted device or Brock's actions was anyone's guess. Then, she shrugged.

"Well, that happened."

"Yes, it did," said Korrina. "Now, if you don't have anything else to do, I'd really like to return to my meal."

"Ooh!" said Astrid. "What are you guys eating?"

Korrina groaned.

* * *

"Now that was delicious!" Astrid said as she finished her stew.

"Ab-Absol!" Absol said in agreement as he looked up from his plate of Pokefood.

"Thanks!" Brock said, an appreciative smile on his face. "I do my best when I'm cooking, so I'm really happy that you enjoyed it!"

Korrina shrugged. While she definitely loved Brock's cooking, she wasn't exactly enthusiastic about having her greatest rival sitting at the same table as her.

"Of course," Astrid continued. "I have to say, your food is good enough to make up for you being completely hopeless at romance."

Brock facefaulted at this, causing Ash, Serena, Astrid, and the Pokemon to laugh. Even Korrina cracked a grin at this.

"Oh, come on," said Brock. "I'm not that bad, am I?"

"Pretty much every Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny we've ever met would disagree," said Ash. "As well as most female gym leaders. And pretty much every other girl, for that matter."

"That's funny," said Astrid. "Which makes me wonder… how did Korrina react when Brock met her for the first time?"

At this, the group froze.

"Well…" said Serena. "Actually, he never flirted with her."

"Why?" said Astrid. "I mean, if he's that interested in pretty girls, then shouldn't he be pretty excited about traveling with such a pretty girl? That is, unless he doesn't think Korrina's pretty."

At this, Korrina slowly turned her head in the direction of a now incredibly nervous Brock. He whimpered slightly as he saw her now livid face.

"Broooock!"

The terrified former gym leader tried to smile as the enraged gym leader in training glared at him.

"Uh, yes Korrina?"

"Can you explain why you didn't immediately fall heads over heels for me like every other girl?"

"Well," said Brock, desperately trying to keep a smile on his face, "did you want me to?"

Korrina's face briefly went from angry to confused.

"Well, no," said Korrina. "I mean, I don't know?"

She then got angry again, and grabbed Brock by the collar of his shirt.

"Look, it doesn't matter! You went gaga over my greatest rival but not me!"

"I'm sorry!" Brock said desperately. "It's not that you're not attractive or anything! It's just that you're just a bit younger than most girls I'd flirt with, like a borderline case, and so I guess Astrid was just a bit closer to that border and that pushed her over the edge? I don't know! I'm sorry!"

For a moment, Korrina glared at Brock, daring him to say anything else. She then sighed and let him go.

"Fine," she said. "But I've got my eye on you, buster!"

Brock let out a sigh of relief as everyone else laughed.

"Well, that was interesting," said Astrid. "Is it always like this traveling in your little group?"

"Eh, maybe not like this," said Serena. "But there's definitely a lot of excitement."

"Yes it is," said Korrina. "Which makes me wonder exactly what it is that you're doing here, Astrid.

"Oh, yeah," said Astrid. "See, I'm headed to Ambrette Town. It's near the Glittering cave, which is supposed to have all sorts of strange stones, including all sorts of fossils. And it's even possible that there could be Mega Stones, or even Key Stones!

This immediately got everyone's attention.

"Mega Stones?" said Serena. "And Key Stones?"

"Can you really find them there?" said Brock.

"I don't know," said Astrid. "But that's what I've heard."

"Then what are we waiting for?" said Ash. "We've got to find them now!"

He immediately got up out of his seat and attempted to rush forwards. However, he fell flat on his face before he could get anywhere.

"Ugh… maybe tomorrow."

Pikachu sighed, as did most of the rest of the group. Astrid and Absol, on the other hand, just stared at the tired boy in confusion.

"What's up with him?" he asked.

"Zubat Roost," said Korrina. "Never again."

"Lucario," Lucario affirmed.

"Ah, of course," Astrid said with a small chuckle. "I never go through that danged cave without a whole bunch of repels."

There was a collective chorus of groans.

* * *

 _ **A/N: So, there are some chapters that go more or less exactly how I want them to go. This is not one of them. I honestly never planned for Astrid to show up. Or have a rivalry with Korrina. Or be dressed like another, far more popular Astrid. It just sort of happened.**_

 _ **...The bit about May's Adventures, though, was totally planned.**_

 _ **Finally, even though nobody asked, I actually had a pretty intense debate with myself as to whether or not have Brock flirt with Korrina. While she's definitely attractive, Brock tends to flirt with girls who are around his age or older, and while Korrina's age is sort of ambiguous, she seems to be older than Ash, but younger than Brock. Of course, everyone's age is ambiguous in a show where the main character has been ten years old for twenty years.**_

 _ **Anyway, I finally decided that, since she was going to travel with the group for at least part of the story, it would probably make it awkward for everybody if their first meeting started with Brock flirting with her. So I decided against it, and planned to eventually have the whole thing lampshaded. Which it now has.**_

 _ **Next time, we get to Ambrette Town, the land of fossils and water types.**_


	28. Searching For Mega Stones, Part 1

Ambrette Town was a seaside town that was famous for several things. For tourists, it was the site of beautiful beaches and fishing spots, as well as the Ambrette Aquarium, which housed all sorts of water-type Pokémon. For people who were more interested in science, there was the Ambrette Fossil Lab, which was known for their studies on ancient lifeforms. And for trainers interested in training and finding new and more powerful Pokémon, there was the nearby Glittering Cave, which was also rumored to hold various buried treasures.

It was the latter that held the attention of the travelers currently entering the town. Ash and his friends were very much interested in seeing what treasures they could find in Glittering Cave especially if there were actually Key Stones or Mega Stones inside. And even if there weren't any, they could still count on finding fossils and other interesting items.

"So!" said Astrid as they marched into town. "Here we are, in Ambrette Town!"

"Wow!" said Ash as he gazed into the distance. "The sea looks amazing from here!"

"It does," said Brock. "This must be a great vacation spot!"

"It sure is," said Korrina. "Ambrette Town may not be big, but it has a lot of stuff to do. Even if we don't find any Mega Stones, we'll be able to have a lot of fun in this town!"

"Car, Lucario!" Lucario said excitedly

"Yeah, but we're still going to look for the Mega Stones, right?" said Ash.

"Pikapiii…" Pikachu sighed at his trainer's single minded focus on getting stronger.

"Calm down, Ash," Serena said as she grabbed Ash's arm, causing him to blush. "If there are Mega Stones in that cave, they aren't going anywhere. We can spend as much time as we want looking around at everything this town has to offer. I mean, I really want to see the aquarium!"

The raven-haired trainer tried to resist, but quickly relented; he then smiled as he looked back at his crush.

"Okay, Serena. We can go to the aquarium first."

Brock, Korrina, Pikachu, and Lucario snickered as they watched, while Astrid simply looked on in confusion.

* * *

The Ambrette Aquarium had a truly vast collection of water type Pokémon. There were many that were familiar to Ash, such as Magikarp, Goldeen, Corsola, Staryu, Marill, Shellder, Qwilfish, Tentacool, Wooper, and Chinchou. On the other hand, there were others that he had never seen before, most of which were either native to the Kalosian waters or migrated there at various times of the year. As he walked around the various Pokémon tanks, he gasped in awe at the variety of Pokémon he'd never seen before.

"It's amazing that there are so many different types of water-type Pokémon," he said in awe as he walked alongside his friends.

"Well, water types are the most numerous of all," said Rotom, who was floating right above them. "Since Earth is mostly covered by water, it makes sense that many different Pokémon would be made to not drown!"

"Well, that's one way of putting it," said Astrid. "Although I can think of many better ways of doing so."

"Maybe," Rotom said with a cheeky smile, "but they just wouldn't have any of my special charm!"

"I'd rather have plain old charmless analogies, thank you very much," Serena muttered under her breath.

Ash chuckled as he stopped in front of a tank to observe the Pokémon inside. They were small, pink Pokémon that had an almost heart-like shape. As he observed them, Serena walked up to join him.

"Aw, look at them!" she said. "They're so cute!"

"Yeah, I guess they are," said Ash.

"Pika Pika," Pikachu said in agreement

As the two young trainers observed the Pokémon, they turned around in their direction, almost as if they had realized they were being watched. They then swam up to the glass until they were right next to the glass, mere feet away from Ash and Serena.

"Um, that's new," said Ash.

The pink Pokémon observed the two for a moment, then began to move up and down, as if dancing happily. They then swam away, leaving two baffled trainers behind.

"Well, that was… interesting," said Serena.

"Yeah," said Ash. "What exactly was up with that?"

"Funny you should ask," Rotom said as it floated up to them, with a picture of the heart-shaped Pokémon on its screen. " _Luvdisc, the Rendezvous Pokémon. Luvdisc's heart-shaped body is a symbol of love and romance. It is said that any couple meeting this Pokémon is promised a loving relationship that never ends._ You guys are soooo lucky!"

Ash and Serena both went bright red. They then both began to speak at the same time.

"WHAT?!"

"But…"

"I…"

"She…"

"He…"

"We're not a couple!" they said together.

Everyone else burst into laughter as the two hung their heads in embarrassment.

* * *

Later that day, the group made it to Route 9. While it was the "easiest" way to get to Glittering Cave, it was by no means a cakewalk; the road was rough and full of boulders, making it near impossible to travel on foot.

"So, how do we get to the cave?" asked Brock.

The best way to get around here is on the back of a Rhyhorn," said Astrid. "They have a Rhyhorn Ranch around here where trainers can borrow one to ride on. It's free, too!"

Serena shuddered. She did not like being anywhere near Rhyhorn.

"Do we really have to?" she asked worriedly.

"Well, we could go on foot," said Astrid. "But it's a lot harder,and it would take us a lot longer. And that's without counting the Pokémon that might attack us."

"Don't worry, Serena," said Ash. "We won't be racing on them, so there's no need to go too fast or do anything that might get you kicked off!"

Serena sighed, then turned back to Ash.

"Fine, I guess."

Ash smiled. While it wasn't the best he could have hoped for, it would probably have to do.

* * *

As it turned out, the road was rough enough that even going slow was a very bumpy ride.

"Ow!" Serena cried as the Rhyhorn she'd borrowed walked over a rock. "Watch out!"

"Are you okay, Serena?" Ash called from his own Rhyhorn.

"Do I look okay?!" Serena yelled as Rhyhorn bumped upwards. "Ow!"

"Don't worry!" said Korrina. "I think I can see the end!"

"I hope we get there soon-ouch!"

* * *

As the group finally made it off their Rhyhorn, the honey-blonde haired girl collapsed onto the ground.

"Ugh… why did it have to be Rhyhorn?"

"Hey, at least we made it here," said Astrid. "Now we just have to walk a bit further to get to the cave!"

Serena groaned as she rested. She then looked around, taking in her surroundings. Much like before, there were many rocks, but now the path was much smoother, making it easier for those who'd gotten this far on Rhyhorn back to travel up to the cave. Even so, she wasn't in the mood to walk for a while.

"Do we have to go now?" she asked.

"Don't worry," said Korrina as she sat down sext to her. "We can go find those Mega Stones later."

"Lucario!"

"Eh, you can stay," Astrid said as she began to march away. "I'll make sure to send you a stone or two if there are any to spare."

Immediately, the blonde haired girl was back on her feet.

"Oh no you don't!" she said as she rushed off. "I'm getting those stones first!"

Ash, Pikachu, Brock, and Serena watched in shock as the two rivals raced each other to the cave. Lucario slapped his paw against his face, then followed his trainer.

"Well… should we follow them?" said Brock.

"Can we wait a few minutes?" said Serena.

* * *

Soon afterwards, the group caught up to the two arguing girls, who seemed to have reached a temporary truce. They were now standing at the mouth of the cave, peering inside in curiosity.

"So, this is glittering cave?" said Ash.

"Pikachu?"

"Yup," said Astrid. "It's a pretty narrow road in there, so don't get too close to each other."

She smirked as she looked at Korrina.

"So don't try to get ahead of me, please."

"In your dreams!" Korrina said as she rushed in, only to get pushed out of the way by Astrid.

"I'm first!"

"No you're not!"

"Let me go!"

"No! I'm going first!"

The others watched in shock, except Lucario, who simply had a look of resignation on his face. Ash saw this, and turned to him.

"Are they always like this?"

"Lu-Lucario," the blue canine said with a nod.

* * *

It was surprisingly bright inside the cave. Due to the glow of the crystals and moss, there was plenty of light to illuminate the group as they walked through the mazelike interior.

"Wow, it's not like that other cave we went through," said Ash.

"Pikachu!"

"Yeah," said Serena. "It's actually kind of pretty!"

"It really is," said Astrid. "The moss and crystals in this cave have light-giving properties, which help to guide travelers. As a result, it's much less likely for people to get lost in here."

"And it helps that the first few hundred feet of this cave are very narrow and have only a small number of deviations," said Korrina.

"So, is it easy to tell which of those deviations lead in the right direction?" said Brock.

"Usually," said Korrina. "After all, the path is mostly straight, and the deviations go in other directions. But sometimes people see wild Pokémon that they want to catch, and they chase them and end up going the wrong way and getting lost."

As if on cue, a small blue Pokémon popped out of a corner.

"Machop!"

"DIBS!" Korrina yelled as her eyes widened. She then rushed off into the darkness, leaving the others behind.

"Korrina!" Astrid called out. "You're going the wrong way!"

Lucario sighed and went off behind his trainer. The other watched, not quite sure what to say.

"So… I guess we're waiting for her?" Ash asked as he sat down.

"Yeah, guess so," said Astrid as she leaned against the cave wall. "I could just go forward without her, but without her getting angry it's not really worth it."

* * *

"Sorry, guys!" Korrina said with a nervous chuckle as she walked up to the group. "I'm really enthusiastic about Fighting type Pokémon, so I just got excited when I saw that Machop!"

Ash chuckled. "It's okay, Korrina. I know how exciting it can be to find a Pokémon you really want."

"Yeah, well the rest of us aren't quite as crazy as you," said Astrid, a mischievous glint forming in her eye. "Just imagine what your mom would say if she found out that you were running off into a dark cave all by yourself!"

"Leave my mom out of this!" Korrina yelled.

"Sure, why not," Astrid said with a cheeky face. "I mean, it's not like she'd care if you're getting lost into a vast and dark cave defenseless in the search for powerful Pokémon. She might even be proud of you for trying to be just like her."

"You shut it now!"

"Okay, I will," said Astrid. "After all, it's not like you're ever going to be strong enough to measure up to-"

"That's it!" Korrina yelled as she lunged at her rival. Unfortunately for her, Astrid was just a bit too fast, and sidestepped her, leaving the hapless girl to fall to the ground.

"Oops!" said Astrid. "Too bad! I guess those Mega Stones are all mine!"

The purple-eyed girl rushed off into the cave, laughing all the way. Not willing to let her rival get ahead, Korrina got up and chased after her, screaming in rage. The rest of the group was left behind, watching the scene in bewilderment.

"Uh… that happened?" said Ash.

"Pikaaa?"

Lucario walked up to the wall of the cave and began to bang his head.

* * *

After some more walking, the group finally arrived at a large, open space within the cave, where Korrina and Astrid were now sitting on the floor. And to the surprise and bemusement of Ash and the others, the two were still arguing.

"And I'm not going to get myself killed by rushing after a Machop!" Korrina yelled.

"Of course not," said Astrid. "But that doesn't mean that you should. I mean, did your grandad ever get lost in a cave chasing Pokémon?"

"Didn't I tell you to leave my family out of this?!" said Korrina.

"You only said your mom," said Astrid. "But you have to admit you've got some pretty high expectations, what with your grandpa being the Gym Leader, and your mom being-"

"Hey girls!" Ash said, causing the two bickering girls to look up. "We finally caught up!"

"Yeah!" said Serena. "You really shouldn't leave us behind like that!"

Korrina blinked, then smiled mareepishly.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I can get really caught up in… well…"

"Her special friendship with me!"

Korrina shot a nasty glare at Astrid, who responded by sticking out her tongue. Not wanting things to get any uglier, and also wanting to prevent the two rivals from running off again, Brock spoke up.

"So, while we're here, why don't we stop for lunch? I mean, it would definitely help us keep a level head when we're exploring in here."

"Awesome!" said Astrid. I could definitely go for some food! Wouldn't you say so, Korrina?"

Korrina turned to yell at her rival, but before she could say anything, her stomach began to growl. With a resigned sigh, she clutched her belly and spoke.

"I guess I could use some food."

Smiling, Brock and the others sat down next to the two girls. Then the squinty-eyed trainer grabbed his bag and began to search through it. After a few seconds, he pulled out a lunch box. He then opened it, revealing a large number of sandwiches. Ash, Serena, Pikachu, Lucario, and Astrid all took theirs with big smiles on their faces, and began to chow down, Pikachu doing so after adding a good squirt of ketchup onto his. Korrina, on the other hand, took hers and got up, walking off to the other side of the cave.

"Gee, I didn't think she'd be this mad," said Astrid.

"Cario," Lucario said as he leaned back against a rock.

Brock watched wordlessly as Korrina ate silently alone in her corner of the cave. He frowned, then looked down at his sandwich.

"You guys mind if I go talk to her?"

The rest of the group looked up at him in surprise. Then, Ash smiled and nodded, as did Pikachu, Serena, and Lucario. Astrid simply shrugged and kept eating. Satisfied, the brown haired Pokémon breeder got up and walked towards Korrina.

"Hey, Korrina?" he asked as he reached her. "Are you okay?"

The fuming blonde girl glared at him, before visibly relaxing.

"Hi, Brock."

Brock tried to smile, but it came out more as a nervous grimace.

"You mind if I sit next to you?"

Korrina didn't say anything, but grunted while tilting her head slightly. Realizing that it was most likely the best response he could hope for at the moment, Brock sat down next to her.

"So, you mind explaining what exactly is going on with you two?" he asked. "I mean, I've seen Ash and his rival from Kanto bicker, and it wasn't… well, okay, it was a lot like that. But I still don't like seeing you like this. I mean, you're usually a lot more energetic than this."

"It's nothing," Korrina said, not even bothering to look in Brock's direction. "Just me and my rival getting angry at each other."

Brock frowned, then thought back to what she had been arguing with Astrid about. Honestly, it wasn't that dissimilar from the arguments that Ash and Gary had had before the Silver Conference, although the two boys had never mentioned each other's parents…

Parents…

"Is this about what Astrid said about your mom?"

Korrina's body tensed up.

"Don't bring that up!"

Brock looked at her in surprise, and saw that she was now glaring at him. And to his mild annoyance, the sandwich was now a crushed ball of bread and deli meat.

"Sooo… I guess that's a yes?"

Korrina huffed, then returned to eating the squashed remains of the sandwich. Brock sighed and began to eat his own sandwich.

"My relationship with my mom is complicated."

Brock stopped with a biteful in his mouth.

"I mean, don't get me wrong," Korrina continued. "I love her, and she loves me. She's really everything you could expect from a mom. But she's also… kind of…"

The gray-eyed trainer trailed off, causing Brock to look at her with a pensive look.

"Well, let's just say that she's got really high hopes for me and leave it at that."

"I see," Brock said, unsure of what else to say.

"And, to be honest, I really do want to be able to meet those expectations," Korrina continued. "I mean, my mom is an amazing trainer, and I want to be the kind of trainer she wants me to be. Only… I'm not sure if I can really live up to that."

"And Astrid doesn't either?" said Brock.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure that she thinks I can," said Korrina. "And I think that makes her jealous. I mean, with my family being descended from the founder of Shalour city, plus my mother being… well, who she is, I think she mostly wants to beat me to prove herself or something. And I think that when she riles me up, it makes her feel better about not being any closer to her goal than I am."

Brock stared at her as she munched on what was left of her sandwich. While Korrina had definitely revealed a lot to him, she had left him with more questions than answers. Who was her mother? Why did she have such high expectations for her daughter? And why was Astrid so jealous?

As he gazed at Korrina, however, he decided that those questions could wait until later. For now, he needed to help his friend. So, as gently as he could, he placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to look at him in surprise.

"Korrina, I can't really say that I understand what you're going through. But I do understand having parenting issues. Both my parents left when I was young, leaving me alone to care for my siblings. My dad eventually came back, but I was pretty mad at him for a while. But eventually I forgave him, and now he takes care of the family while I'm traveling with you guys. And from what I've heard, I think your mom is a whole lot better than that. So I'd say that you'll be just fine."

Korrina stared at Brock for a few moments. Then, a smile formed on her face.

"Thanks, Brock."

The two friends smiled at each other, then returned to eating their sandwiches.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Well, I wanted to continue on, but this chapter has gotten a lot longer than I thought it would, and I haven't updated in a month, so I think I'll split this into a two-parter. The next part shall continue after the gang have lunch, and may or may not have more frustrated Lucario.**_

 _ **I'd also like to give a shout-out to Hawkins579, who came up with the Luvdisc idea.**_

 _ **Anyway, the gang has gone into Glittering Cave, where fossils and other treasures await! ...And Korrina has mommy issues of some sort. What happens now? Stay tuned to find out!**_


	29. Searching For Mega Stones, Part 2

After lunch, the group continued to venture into the cave. As the cave was no longer a narrow road, it was much easier to move. It also helped that Korrina and Astrid had, for the moment, stopped bickering, much to the relief of Lucario. Thus, there was nothing to stop them as they marched forwards.

"Well, so far, so good," said Brock. "How much longer do you think we'll have to go until we find any Mega Stones?"

"Not much longer," Astrid said with a confident smile on her face. "We're nearing the end of the cave, so if there are any treasures to be found, they're going to be there!"

She then frowned as she looked around. "It's strange, though. Glittering Cave is known for its fossils and rare minerals, so it's usually filled with scientists. We really should have run into one or two of them by now."

"You're right," said Korrina. "Even if it's an off day for them, they don't just abandon everything. It's like they've completely vanished from the face of the earth."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked curiously.

Korrina frowned. "Something's not right."

"Luca-Cario."

Korrina turned to her partner and nodded. She then stopped as they reached a number of large rocks that were obscuring their view of the rest of the cave.

"What do you think, Astrid?" she said as she turned to her rival.

"If there's foul play to be expected, it's most likely to be there," said Astrid.

"Please don't tell me we're actually walking into something dangerous," Serena said nervously.

Korrina decided not to say anything. Instead, she simply walked up to one of the larger rocks and carefully peered to the other side. Lucario did the same, as did Astrid.

"I can't see anything," said Korrina. "I think we need to get closer."

As quietly as they could, the three moved out from behind the rocks and snuck up to the next set of rocks. Once they were certain that they hadn't been seen, they signaled to the rest of the group that it was safe to move forwards. Nodding, Ash and the others walked forwards, careful to stay hidden from whatever was waiting behind.

"Alright then," said Brock. "Who or what it waiting for us?"

Not quite sure herself, Korrina quietly peered out from behind the rock. She didn't know what to expect. A giant Pokémon? A Zubat Horde? Team Rocket?

What was certain, however, was that she hadn't been expecting a bunch of people in fiery red business suits and sunglasses, as well as bright red hair. They were standing next to a large box that seemed to be full of fossils, and all had malicious looking grins on their faces. In addition, there were a number of men and women in white lab coats who had been tied up, and were being watched closely by several hostile-looking Houndour.

"Perfect!" one of them said. "All these fossils are going to get us a whole lot of money!"

"You fiends!" one of the scientists yelled. "Those fossils are incredibly important for their scientific value! You can't just sell them!"

"Quiet!" yelled another of the red-suited criminals. "We don't care about your science-y mumbo jumbo! All we care about is how much we can make off of these!"

Korrina pulled back to her hiding place and turned to the others.

"Well, at least now we know what happened to the scientists," she said.

"What are we going to do?!" Serena said worriedly. "Sooner or later they're going to notice us!"

"Then we have to take them out before they can!" said Astrid. "If we move quickly, we might be able to take out their Houndour before they can react!"

Serena grimaced. She didn't like the idea of rushing into a room full of hostile trainers, especially if they had already taken hostages. However, she was then take by surprise when Ash grabbed her hand.

"Don't worry, Serena. As long as we're all together, we'll be just fine!"

The honey-blonde haired girl stared at Ash for a moment, then smiled.

"You're right, Ash. We'll get through this!"

The two smiled happily, then turned and nodded to their friends. Satisfied, Astrid grabbed one of her Pokeballs, as did Brock, Ash, and Serena.

"Ready?" said Korrina.

She looked around, and saw everyone nod.

"Then let's go."

In an instant, she jumped out from behind her hiding spot, as did the rest of the group.

"Lucario! Power-Up Punch!"

"Pikachu! Thunderbolt! Riolu! Force Palm!"

"Shinx! Spark!"

"Onix! Rock Slide!"

"Absol! Night Slash!"

Before the red-suited group could react, the Houndour guards were knocked out by the surprise attack.

"What?!" one of them cried. "Who's there?!"

"That would be us!" said Ash, drawing the attention of the mysterious group.

"And we're here to stop you!" said Korrina.

"Let those people go!" said Brock.

The red-suited group stared in confusion, before glaring in rage.

"Oh really?" one of them said. "And do you think that we're simply going to hand over what belongs to us?"

"None of that belongs to you!" yelled Serena. "You stole it from those scientists you tied up!"

"Maybe," another one said. "But they would never have done anything useful with them. Team Flare has much greater use for these fossils!"

"Team Flare?" said Astrid. "Is that what you call yourselves?"

"How perceptive," one of the criminals said. "Team Flare is a powerful organization that is working to change the world. In order to do that, we need to make a lot of money. And to do that, we'll be taking these fossils!"

"You can't do that!" the scientist from before cried. "Those fossils are invaluable for our studies into the habits of ancient Pokémon!"

"Oh no, what a tragic loss," the Team Flare member said in mock sorrow. "If you care about them that much, then maybe we'll let you buy them back… at a very high price!"

"Not if we have anything to say about it!" said Ash.

"Pika-Pikachu!"

The lead member of the group smirked as he grabbed a Pokeball. "Well, if you think you can beat us, go ahead and try."

With that, the leader and the rest of Team Flare tossed out their Pokeballs, revealing a number of Houndour.

"All of you use Ember!"

"Thunderbolt! Force Palm!"

"Discharge!"

"Bone Rush!"

"Night Slash!"

"Rock Slide!"

In an instant, all the Pokémon in the chamber were attacking at the same time. The Houndour of Team Flare were blasting out hot particles, while Pikachu and the others struck back with their own attacks. Lucario, Riolu, and Absol were doing their best to dodge the flames as they got close enough to deliver their attacks, while Pikachu, Shinx, and Onix were trying hard to aim their attacks at their enemies.

"Switch to Dark Pulse!"

Three of the Houndour stopped their Ember attacks and began to fire off spheres of dark purple energy. Pikachu and Shinx had to cancel out their attacks and dodge, but they quickly restarted their attacks.

"Riolu!" Ash called. "Hit them with Bullet Punch so Pikachu and Shinx can shock them!"

"Olu!" Riolu said in acknowledgement. He then pumped his fists, then sped off towards the Houndour. With a loud bang, he hit one of them, and then another, and another. WHile the Houndour were not badly injured, they were left distracted by the attack.

"Now Pikachu!"

"You too, Shinx!"

The two electric types cried out as they unleashed a mighty blast of electricity. The stunned Houndour had no time to react as they were blasted by electrical energy, and screamed in pain. Satisfied by his work, Riolu reloaded his arms, then delivered a Force Palm to the nearest Houndour.

"Stop fooling around, Houndour!" one of the Team Flare grunts yelled. "They're just a bunch of kids!"

"We may be kids, but we're not going to let you beat us!" said Korrina. "Take 'em down, Lucario!"

Lucario growled, then unleashed a barrage of Power-Up Punches that sent a Houndour flying. At the same time, Absol did the same to another, while Onix dropped a huge Rock Slide on another. Finally, Pikachu, Shinx, and Riolu finished off the group they had been dealing with.

"Yeah!" cried Ash. "We did it!"

"Pika Pikachu!" Pikachu cried as he jumped onto Ash's shoulder.

The group smiled at each other, then frowned as they turned to face Team Flare, who were staring at their defeated Pokémon in shock.

"How?!" their leader said. "How could we have been beaten?!"

"Be cause you're bad guys, and bad guys always lose," Astrid said in a deadpan voice. "Now hand over those scientists and the fossils and nobody gets hurt."

The leader gritted his teeth. "Well, it seems we have no choice. We shall have to retreat for today. But know this: you have all made enemies of Team Flare."

"I think we can live with that," said Astrid.

The leader scoffed, then opened another Pokeball revealing an Abra.

"We shall see about that! Teleport!"

Abra glowed for a moment, then Team Flare vanished, leaving Ash and the others shocked.

"They ran away!" Ash said angrily.

"Typical criminals," said Korrina.

"Well, at least we saved the scientists," said Serena.

Looking downwards, the group remembered that the scientists were still tied up, and so moved up to help them get free.

"Thank you all so very much!" the scientist who had spoken up earlier said as Ash untied him. "It would have been such a disaster if those fiends had stolen those fossils!"

"Oh, it was nothing," said Ash. "We couldn't just let them get away with their crimes."

"Even so, that was very brave," the man said as he finally got free. "Anyway, allow me to introduce myself. I am Thaddeus, and I am studying the biology of extinct Pokémon."

"Wow, that's cool!" said Ash. "Anyway, my name's Ash, and these are Pikachu and Riolu."

"Pikachu!"

"Riolu!"

"I'm Serena."

"I'm Brock."

"I'm Astrid, and the ugly girl is Korrina."

"What did you just call me?!"

Lucario and Absol turned to each other and groaned. They then walked up to their respective trainers and grabbed them as they attempted to lunge at each other. Thaddeus stared for a moment, but ultimately paid it no mind.

"Well, we're all thankful for your help. How could we ever repay you?"

"Well," Ash said, trying hard to ignore Korrina and Astrid, "We heard rumors that there were stones that could help Pokémon undergo Mega Evolution somewhere in Glittering Cave, so we came in to investigate."

"Ah yes," said Thaddeus. "We have heard of those, but we have never found any. I do not believe there are any in this cave."

Ash, Serena, Brock, and their Pokémon groaned. However, Ash quickly regained his composure.

"Well, at least we managed to save you guys!"

"Indeed you did," said Thaddeus. "And while I may not be able to show you any Mega Stones, I do have something that might be of interest to you.

As he finished, one of his fellow scientists walked up to them, carrying a peculiar round object. Ash and his friends looked in curiosity, before they realized what it was.

"Is that an Egg?" Ash asked.

"Indeed," said Thaddeus. "We believe it is of a Pokémon that lives in this cave. However, it appears to have been abandoned, so we have no idea what it is."

"Aw, that's so sad," said Serena. "The little Pokémon must be so sad to lose its parents!"

"It's possible, yes," said Thaddeus. "Therefore, it would probably be best if a capable trainer were to hatch it, so that the newborn would have someone to care for it, as well as help it grow into a strong Pokémon."

Ash and his friends looked at each other. They then looked at the egg.

"Yeah, you're right," said Brock. "And I think we have the perfect trainer for that right here."

Ash blinked, then realized that Brock and Serena were looking at him.

"What? Me?"

"Well, of course," said Brock. "You're a pretty unconventional trainer, but you're definitely capable. I mean, you came in the top eight in the Silver Conference, and you've managed to defeat Team Rocket agents several times! Granted, most of the time it's those three idiots, but still!"

"And that's not even getting into how amazing your Pokémon are!" said Serena. "Pikachu, Charizard, Meganium, and Pidgeot are all amazing members of your team!"

"Pikachu!"

"Riolu!

Ash blushed slightly at the praise. While he wouldn't have minded handing the egg off to one of his friends, the fact that they believed him to be so fit to care for the Pokémon within was incredibly encouraging. Not to mention that he'd really like to have a new Pokémon on his team.

Finally, he reached out and took the egg in his hands.

"Thanks," he said as he examined it. It was mostly yellow, although with a few areas that were black in color. Inwardly, he chuckled as he remembered a certain girl who would have squeed at the color scheme.

"It's the least we can do after you rescued us," Thaddeus replied. "Of course, we could also show you a particularly intriguing project we've been working on in our laboratory."

"Wow, that would be so cool!" Ash said as his eyes sparkled.

"Would you really let us do that?" said Serena.

"Of course," said Thaddeus. "It makes us happy when young people such as yourself get interested in science."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ash said excitedly. "Let's go!"

As he turned around, however, he saw Korrina and Astrid still trying to attack each other as Lucario and Absol struggled to hold them back.

"Well, maybe we can wait for them to calm down," Ash said as a drop of sweat rolled down his forehead.

"Pikapika," Pikachu said with a sweatdrop of his own.

"Olu," Riolu said as he watched his evolved form's struggle in fascination.

* * *

Some time afterwards, the group made it back to Ambrette Town. Astrid and Korrina had both stopped fighting, but they were still eyeing each other warily.

"Well, we didn't get any Mega Stones, but we did get to meet some cool scientists," said Brock. "And we also found a mysterious new group that seems to be up to no good."

"Team Flare," said Korrina. "I wonder what they want."

"Well, I get the feeling that we'll find out soon enough," said Ash. "We've been having that sort of luck with Team Rocket, after all.

"You guys met Team Rocket?" said Astrid. "I'm not sure if that's really lucky or unlucky."

"Definitely the latter," muttered Serena.

"Anyway, I think I'll be taking my leave here," said Astrid.

"What?" said Korrina. "You don't want to see what these guys have in store for us?"

"Not particularly," said Astrid. "I was mostly just looking for Key Stones, so there's not much of a point for me to stay here."

She then smirked before she said the next part.

"And who knows? Maybe I'll actually find one while you're here listening to these sciencey people."

"Oh no you won't!" Korrina yelled. Before she could do anything else, however, Lucario grabbed her by the arm. At the same time, Absol burst out of his Pokeball and grabbed his trainer by her skirt.

"Do you two really have to do this all the time?" asked Brock.

"No, but it makes us feel better about ourselves," said Astrid. This elicited a round of groans from the rest of those present.

"Okay, you two need to spend time away from each other," said Brock. "Starting now."

With that cue being taken, Absol began to drag Astrid away, while Lucario held Korrina in place, preventing her from running off after her rival.

"Oh well," said Astrid as her partner led her away. "I'll see you guys later! And say hi to your mom for me, Korrina!"

"I'll get you for that one!"

The rest of the group sighed. If there was one thing they could all agree on, it was that Astrid and Korrina were two people who were best not allowed to be near each other for too long.

* * *

 _ **A/N: So, I saw the**_ **Pokémon: I Choose You** _ **movie in the theater today (Well, technically it was yesterday, but it's late at night so I could still say today), and I loved it. And thus, I was inspired to finish this chapter off. It's probably not the best, but I wanted to get it over with so I could get to the parts I actually wanted to write.**_

 _ **Anyway, we had our first encounter with Team Flare, as well as Ash getting an egg. What's in it, you may ask? Well, you'll just have to wait and see.**_

 _ **Finally, Astrid's leaving. Which is probably good for Korrina's sanity. And Lucario's.**_

 _ **Next time: Fossil Pokémon!**_


	30. Poke Puffs, Fossils, and Fights, Part 1

"Team Flare?"

Ash nodded at the holographic image of Professor Sycamore. While it had been too late at night to call after their encounter with the strange group in red suits, Ash had made sure to contact the Professor as soon as they had all gotten up the next day. Thus, he was now sitting in one of the Pokémon Center's couches, talking about everything that had happened the night before.

"Yeah, that's right. They were wearing these weird red suits and sunglasses, and they were trying to steal a bunch of fossils."

"Interesting," said Sycamore. "Well, I'll make sure to investigate this matter more thoroughly. Thank you for informing me, Ash."

"No problem, Professor," said Ash. "Also, there's something else.

Professor Sycamore looked at Ash in curiosity, so Ash pulled out his new egg.

"I got this from those scientists we rescued," he explained. "I was wondering if you had any idea what Pokémon will hatch from it."

"Interesting," said Sycamore. "Well, it's difficult to tell on the Holo-Caster, although I would suspect that it would be a Pokémon native to that area."

"Oh, okay," Ash said in a slightly disappointed voice. However, his smile returned quickly. "Well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see!"

"That's the spirit, Ash!" said Sycamore. "Anyway, I have to go now. I have plenty of work to do."

"Okay, Professor," said Ash. "See you later, then!"

"You too, Ash," the messy-haired Professor said. And with that, the image vanished from the Holo-Caster.

Ash smiled as he put the device away, then he looked up to Korrina and Brock, who were just walking up to him.

"So no word on what that egg might be?" Korrina asked as she sat next to him.

"No," said Ash. "But that just means that it will be a surprise when it hatches!"

"I guess so," said Brock as he sat down. "What about Team Flare?"

"He wasn't familiar with them, but he told me he'd look into it."

"I guess that's the best we can hope for," said Brock. "Still, I hope he can figure something out soon. I really wouldn't like having to deal with them again, especially with Team Rocket still out there."

Ash opened his mouth to point out that with their luck, they would undoubtedly run into both groups at some point in the future. However, he ultimately decided against it, and leaned back into his chair.

"Well, this is all well and good," Serena said as she walked up to the group with a basket in her hands. "Personally, though, I think we all need something to cheer us up!"

The others looked up at her, then looked at the basket in curiosity.

"So what's in there?" asked Ash.

"Take a look!"

With a flourish, Serena took the lid off the basket, revealing a number of little frosted cakes.

"Ta-da!" she said. "I made us some Poke Puffs!"

"Nice!" said Ash as he grabbed one, then passed it to Pikachu. The Mouse Pokémon took a bite out of the sweet confection, then cried out appreciatively.

"I'm glad you liked it, Pikachu," Serena said happily.

"Well, they sure look great," said Korrina as she grabbed one, which she passed to Lucario. He took it gratefully and began to munch on it.

"I'm impressed, Serena," said Brock. "You clearly spent a lot of time on these Poke Puffs."

He moved to grab one, but before he could, one of his Pokeballs burst open, revealing a very hungry brown and green grass type.

"Ches! Chespin!" Chespin said as he extended one of his vines towards the basket. He then grabbed a Poke Puff, which he then tossed into his mouth and swallowed whole.

"Chespin!" Brock said with a frown on his face. "You should have asked first!"

"Well at least he liked it," said Serena.

"Which is quite surprising when you consider that those Poke Puffs are of average quality, at best."

The group looked up in surprise at the voice, and were met by the sight of a girl who seemed to be around Serena's age. She had blue hair and red eyes, and was wearing a light green shirt, turquoise shorts, a dark green vest, and an orange tie. She also had a light turquoise hairband that resembled that of a maid. Finally, she was accompanied by a chubby pink and white Pokémon.

"Yeah, I hate to tell you this, but your Poke Puffs leave quite a bit to be desired."

"And how exactly would you know that?" Serena asked, a noticeable edge in her voice.

"Well," the new girl said as she examined Serena's treats, "your Poke Puffs have very little in the way of decoration, with only a simple coating of frosting. And if such little care was put into the visual appeal of the Poke Puff, then it is unlikely that there would be much more attention given to the puff itself.

"Slurpuff!" her partner said in agreement.

"I put a lot of effort into those Poke Puffs!" Serena said as her face became red. "Just because they don't look particularly flashy doesn't mean they're bad!"

"I never said they were bad," the girl said as she rolled her eyes. "I just said that they were average at best."

"Well, who do you think you are, criticizing the Pokepuffs that I made for my friends?!" Serena yelled.

"A much better baker than you," the girl said as she pulled out a paper box. She then opened it up, revealing a large number of Poke Puffs, which were all much more elaborately decorated than Serena's. "As you can see, I take a great deal of pride in the decoration of my Poke Puffs, which shows just how much I-"

Before the blue-haired girl could continue, the box was yanked out of her hands by a pair of vines. Her eyes went wide with shock as Chespin tossed all her Poke Puffs into his mouth at once. He then swallowed them all in one huge gulp, then let out a long burp.

"Cheeessss…" Chespin said happily as he rubbed his belly.

"Chespin!" Brock said angrily. "That was incredibly rude!"

Under normal circumstances, Serena would have been angry at Chespin as well. Indeed, she thought to herself, if they had been her Poke Puffs, she would have been furious. However, as the Spiny Nut Pokémon had eaten all the Poke Puffs of an overall very annoying girl, she couldn't help but feel just a bit satisfied.

Unfortunately, the feeling passed as soon as the girl spoke again.

"Oh well. I guess that just shows how much more he likes my Poke Puffs."

"Slurpuff-Puff!"

Serena turned back to the girl with fiery eyes.

"Oh, really?! Well I'll bet that I can make much better Poke Puffs than whatever garbage you just fed Chespin!"

"My Poke Puffs are not garbage!" the girl yelled as she took a step forwards. "And why don't you try and put your money where your mouth is?!"

Behind Serena, her friends began to sweat.

"You know," Brock said as he leaned in towards Ash, "I can't help but feel that Serena just found her own Astrid."

"No kidding," said Ash.

"Pikachu…"

"What was that?" asked Korrina.

Brock, Ash, and Pikachu began to sweat even more profusely than before.

"Nothing!" Brock said as he held up his hands. "Nothing at all!"

Korrina raised an eyebrow, but did not say anything. Lucario, on the other hand, rolled his eyes. He then looked back towards Serena, who was now in the process of challenging the newcomer.

"So let's see who can make the best Poke Puffs!" she said angrily.

"Fine, then," the blue-haired girl said. "Before I prove to you how good I am, though, would you mind giving me your name? I'd like to know who I'm going to beat, after all."

"Well, I should say the same!" Serena replied. "And my name's Serena!"

"Very well," the girl said with a smirk. "I'm Miette, and I'm hoping you'll be able to provide at least somewhat of a challenge."

"Well, I'm going to be a whole lot more than that!" said Serena.

"Uh, Serena?" Ash interrupted. "You do remember that we were going to go see what those scientists were going to show us?"

As then felt a shiver crawl up his spine as Serena turned to glare at him.

"Are you telling me that I should just let her go?!"

"No!" said Ash. "It's just that we told them we'd go see what they wanted to show us, so maybe your Poke Puffs can wait until-"

" **No!** " Serena yelled, causing Ash to jump. "This is a battle of honor!"

A large drop of sweat rolled down Ash's brow. He wasn't sure what sort of honor could be found in trying to bake Poke Puffs just to prove a snooty girl wrong, but he felt that arguing with Serena wasn't a particularly good idea.

"Well," said Brock, "we could just leave Serena here with Miette so they can work out their issues. I mean, just because we said we'd go doesn't mean all of us have to go."

"Well, I guess we did say that," said Serena. "So I guess-"

"Aw, poor Serena," said Miette. "All her friends are just leaving her behind because they know she's going to be humiliated."

Serena turned to glare at her new rival. She then grabbed Ash's arm, taking him by surprise.

"Of course not! Ash never said anything about that, so you know he's going to stay with me!"

She then turned around and gave the raven-haired trainer her sweetest smile.

"You'll stay here to support me, won't you, Ash?"

Ash was sweatdropping far more than he had been before. On the one hand, he really wanted to go see whatever the scientists wanted to show them. On the other hand, he really didn't want to disappoint Serena. And she was giving him such an adorable smile.

In the end, Serena's smile won.

"Okay," he said. "I guess I'll stay with you."

Serena grinned, then turned back to Miette.

"You see? Ash knows that I'm going to make you cry!"

"Or maybe he's just staying with you out of pity."

"Why you-"

As the two argued, Ash turned back to look at Korrina and Brock.

"So, why don't you guys head on to the Lab? We'll catch up… maybe."

Korrina shrugged. "Sure, why not. Good luck with those two."

"Yeah," said Brock. "Don't worry, we'll tell you everything later."

With that, the two turned and began to walk away.

"Come on, Chespin."

Brock took a few more steps before noticing that Chespin was not following him.

"Chespin?"

He turned around, and saw Chespin staring at the two girls.

"Chespin, we're leaving!"

"Ches-Chespin!"

The spiny nut Pokémon turned around, his eyes sparkling as he licked his lips.

"Chespin, Ches!" he said as he pointed towards Serena and Miette.

Brock blinked, then realized what Chespin was saying.

"Oh… all that talk about Poke Puffs made you hungry, didn't it?"

"Chespin-pin!" Chespin said as he nodded his head.

"Chespin, you already ate all of Miette's Puffs the first time. And you still need to apologize for that."

"No need!" Miette said as she rushed up and grabbed Chespin. "You'll be the perfect judge for our little competition!"

"What?!" everyone else said, while Chespin's eyes widened as a huge smile formed on his face."

"Ches! Chespin! Chespin!" he said happily.

"What?!" said Brock. "But-"

"No buts!" said Miette, overriding Brock's objections. "I'm sure he'll do a great job!"

Chespin cheered, while Brock hung his head.

"Okay, I guess he's staying here," said Brock.

"Don't worry, Brock," said Korrina. "He's probably happier staying here than going off to see sciencey stuff."

"Yeah, I guess," Brock replied. "Well, have fun, Chespin."

The spiny nut Pokémon smiled and waved at Brock as Miette took him off to the Pokémon Center's kitchen. Serena followed closely, dragging Ash and Pikachu along with her.

"Well, looks like they'll be having fun," Korrina said with an amused tone.

"I guess," said Brock.

"Come on," said Korrina as she grabbed Brock's arm. "Let's go see what those sciencey guys wanted to show us!"

"I'm pretty sure they'd object to being called _sciencey guys_ ," said Brock.

Korrina chuckled as they both went off towards the laboratory.

* * *

Miette and Serena stood on opposite sides of the kitchen, with Ash, Pikachu, and Chespin sitting at a nearby table. Serena had sent out her Fennekin and Shinx, while Miette had brought out a small grayish purple Pokémon to accompany her Slurpuff.

"So, I say we do three rounds," said Miette. "We make a dozen Pokepuffs each per round, and we have our judges tell us which are the best. Best two out of three rounds wins. Sounds fair?"

"Yes it does!" said Serena. "Too bad we'll never get to the third round!"

Miette smirked. "You really think you're bad enough to lose twice in a row?"

"We'll see who's laughing at the end of this!"

"Fennekin! Fenn!" Fennekin cried in determination, ready to support her trainer.

"Shinx!" said Shinx. While he didn't understand the purpose of the competition, he could tell that his alpha was being challenged by another pack leader, so he was ready to defend his pack in any way he could.

"Alright," said Miette. "In that case, let's do this!"

With that, the two girls moved onto their baking stations and began to grab their ingredients. Ash watched as Shinx and Fennekin grabbed the necessary ingredients and passed them on to Serena, who checked each one as well as she could before placing them in her bowl. He then looked over to Slurpuff, who seemed to be sniffing each and every ingredient before passing them to Miette, who was mixing them with the help of her other Pokémon.

"I wonder who those Pokémon are?" he asked out loud.

"Did somebody ask about some Pokémon?"

To Ash's annoyance, Rotom popped out of his pocket.

" _Slurpuff, the Meringue Pokémon. Slurpuff's sense of smell is 100 million times better than a human's, so even the faintest scent tells it about everything in the area._ You might think having such a strong nose is great, but just imagine what smelling some rotten eggs would be like!"

"I'd rather not," muttered Ash. "What about the other one?"

" _Espurr, the Restraint Pokémon. Espurr has enough psychic energy to blast everything within 300 feet of itself, but it has no control over its power._ It's a ticking time bomb, so you'd better get out of the way quick!"

"You enjoy this way too much sometimes," said Ash.

"Pikapi, Pikachu," Pikachu said in agreement.

"Oh, come on, Ashy," Rotom said in a cheeky voice. "Would you prefer a boring old Pokedex that just tells you what Pokémon do without any interesting commentary?"

"Eh, maybe."

Ash looked back at Rotom, and was mildly amused to see the device giving him a pair of strangely adorable "sad Lillipup" eyes.

"Anyway," said Ash, "I'm looking forward to whatever Serena and Miette have to offer us. What about you guys?"

"Chespin!" Chespin cheered. "Ches-Chespin!"

"Pikachu," Pikachu said, shaking his head at Chespin's enthusiasm.

"Yeah, I guess Chespin's the one who's most excited," said Ash.

"I'm excited too!" said Rotom. "I get to find out exactly how many Poke Puffs a Chespin can eat without exploding!"

Ash stuffed Rotom back into his pocket.

* * *

Brock, Korrina, and Lucario walked into the laboratory. They were excited to see what was in store for them.

"You know," said Korrina, "even though I'm not really into these science thingies, I'm actually really curious about what those guys want us to see."

"Lucario! Lu!" Lucario said in agreement.

"I know," said Brock. "Personally, though, I'm a bit more excited about the science. I remember there was a really cool museum back home, which had a large variety of fossils of Pokémon that lived in Kanto millions of years ago. I was fascinated with them, especially since they were pretty much all rock types, and of course, my main thing as a Gym Leader was rock types."

"That sounds cool," said Korrina. "Now that I think about it, though, weren't those scientists looking for fossils in Glittering Cave?"

"Huh," Brock said as he stroked his chin. "That's right, now that I think about it. And those Team Flare guys were trying to steal them, too."

"You think that they want to show us something that has to do with those fossils?" Korrina asked.

"As a matter of fact, it does!"

The group looked up to see Thaddeus and a few of his associates approaching them.

"I'm so glad you could make it!" said Thaddeus. "Although, I was expecting the others to be here as well."

Brock and Korrina looked at each other, then shrugged.

"They had… a thing they had to do," said Brock.

"Yeah," said Korrina. "A thing."

"Lu, Lucario."

"I… see," Thaddeus said, a confused look on his face. "In any case, what we have to show you two today is something truly unique! Now, if you would mind coming this way, we'll begin our tour!"

With that, Thaddeus began to lead the group. Intrigued, Brock, Korrina, and Lucario began to follow him. They soon reached a doorway, which the gray haired scientist was holding open. As the group walked through it, they noticed an immediate change; unlike the rest of the building, the room they were now standing in was full of ferns and trees, and the ceiling was made of glass to let in as much of the sun's light as possible.

"Wow," said Korrina. "It's almost like we're back outside."

"Lucario!"

"Yeah," said Brock. "It's almost like it's meant to have some Pokémon living in here!"

"And you'd be right," one of the scientists said. "But not just any Pokémon!"

"Indeed," said Thaddeus. "We have a very special Pokémon living here!"

As if on cue, a nearby fern began to shake. Brock and Korrina looked as it in surprise, while Lucario got into a defensive stance. Fortunately, the creature that walked out into the sight of the group was far from dangerous.

"Tyrunt!"

For a brief moment, Brock, Korrina, and Lucario stared at it in surprise. Then, their eyes widened in amazement. For standing before them was a small brown Pokémon with tiny arms, huge jaws, and a collar made of what appeared to be white feathers.

"A Tyrunt?!" said Korrina.

"I thought they were extinct!" said Brock.

"Lu-Lucario!"

"Indeed!" Thaddeus said proudly. "For years, we have been seeking a way to truly understand the ancient Pokémon that roamed the planet millions of years ago. And now, thanks to some incredible breakthroughs in Pokémon genetics, it is finally possible to resurrect beings that have been extinct for eons!"

"Tyrunt!" the little theropod said as it gave the group a toothy grin.

"Wow!" Korrina said in awe. "It's just like in those movies! Though hopefully without anyone getting eaten."

Thaddeus chuckled awkwardly. "...Right. Well, the Tyrunt we've cloned so far have proven to be much more docile than popular culture would have you believe. Indeed, we might even be able to allow trainers to raise them for battles!"

"That's amazing!" said Brock. "I used to be a Gym Leader who used rock type Pokémon, so I know I'd love to raise one of them!"

"Oh, yes," said Thaddeus. "So would many other trainers. Of course, we still have much to learn about these Pokémon before we can give them to trainers. Even so, I'm sure that there will come a time when you'll be able to command a fossil Pokémon just as easily as you can command any of your other partners!"

As he said this, a number of other Tyrunt crawled out from behind the ferns. They looked up at the newcomers, who stared at them in awe.

"Wow!" said Korrina. "They're so amazing!"

"Lucario!"

The royal heir Pokémon stared at the group for a moment, curious about the arrival of more strange beings. They soon got bored, though, and rushed off. This caused Korrina to pout.

"Aww, I wanted to see them more!"

"Cario," Lucario said as he patted his trainer on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Thaddeus said as he watched the Tyrunt playing off in the distance. "They often get curious when new people appear, but the novelty wears off rather quickly."

"That's a shame," said Brock. "I really would like to get to know at least one of them."

"Tyrunt?"

Surprised by the voice, the squinty-eyed teen looked downwards and saw a single Tyrunt smiling at him.

"What?" he said as he looked down at the royal heir Pokémon. "Why aren't you going with the others?"

"Tyrunt!"

"Well, would you look at that!" said Thaddeus. "It appears that Tyrunt likes you!"

Brock stared down at the Tyrunt, then smiled as he got down on one knee.

"Hey, Tyrunt. It's nice to meet you."

He began to stroke Tyrunt's head, eliciting a happy moan from the little theropod.

"You're a really cool Pokémon," said Brock. "I think it would be amazing for a trainer to get to raise you."

"Tyrunt!" the royal heir Pokémon said happily.

"Impressive!" said Thaddeus. "Even we can't get any of the Tyrunt to get as close to us as this one is to you!"

Brock smiled as he got back up. "Well, I guess I just have a talent for getting Pokémon to like me."

"Too bad your talent doesn't extend to females of your own species," Korrina said with a cheeky grin, causing Brock to fall to the floor.

* * *

"Well? What do you think?"

Saliva dripped out of Chespin's mouth at the sight of the two big stacks of Pokepuffs sitting before him. On one side were Serena's puffs, which were coated in pink frosting, with red and white sprinkles as well as pieces of candied pecha berries. On the other side were Miette's puffs, which were covered in dark blue frosting, with a lighter blue glitter applied, and topped off with a slice of fresh oran berry.

"Well, they both look pretty good," said Ash. "It's going to be difficult to judge these, honestly."

"Pikachu," Pikachu said in agreement.

Hesitantly, Ash took one of Serena's puffs, while Pikachu took one of Miette's. Then, they each took a bite out of their treats.

"Well?" said Serena.

"How is it?" said Miette.

Both Ash and Pikachu began to smile.

"This is delicious!"

"Pikachu! Pika!"

"Great!" said Miette. "So, which one is better? I'll bet it's mine!"

"No way!" said Serena. "It has to be mine!"

Ash chuckled. "Just hold on, girls. I need to taste the second one before I make a choice."

"Pikachu!"

Both Ash and Pikachu moved to grab a second Pokepuff. Before they could, however, both stacks were grabbed by Chespin, who then shoveled all of Serena's puffs into his mouth. He then let out a loud burp, then did the same with Miette's puffs.

"Piiiiin…"

For a moment, everyone just stared at Chespin, who was now licking his lips in satisfaction.

"Well," said Ash, "I mean, I enjoyed Serena's Pokepuff, but I didn't get to try Miette's, so…"

"Pikachu," Pikachu said as he looked down at where the pastries had once been.

Serena and Miette looked down at Chespin, then at each other. Then, a smirk formed on Serena's face.

"Ha! Chespin ate my puffs first! Therefore mine are obviously better!"

"In your dreams!" Miette yelled as she glared at Serena. "He was saving the best ones for last!"

"You're just mad because you lost!" Serena yelled.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"My Pokepuffs are far better than yours!"

"Prove it!"

"I think I will!"

"Fine!"

Both girls rushed over to their baking areas and began to prepare for another round. Droplets of sweat began to roll down Ash and Pikachu's foreheads.

"How much longer will we have to sit through this?" said Ash.

"Pikaaa…"

* * *

"While Tyrunt is certainly an impressive Pokémon, it's not the only one we've brought back to life," Thaddeus said as he led the group through a door. "Come, we still have much to see."

Brock, Korrina, and Lucario walked through the door happily. They had already had a great time seeing the many Tyrunt in the habitat, particularly the one that seemed to like Brock, and they were excited to see what other surprises the laboratory had in store for them.

"Can you believe it?" said Korrina. "They actually have not just one, but two species of fossil Pokémon in here! And they're showing them to us!"

"Lucario! Lu!"

"I know!" said Brock. "And they're both rock types! So amazing!"

"Ty! Tyrunt!"

The group stopped at the sound of the voice. They then turned around and saw that the same Tyrunt from before had followed them out of the habitat.

"Oh," said Brock. "Uh, hello, Tyrunt?"

"Runt! Tyrunt!"

"Uh, it's nice to meet you too?"

"Tyrunt!"

Brock stared at the smiling Tyrunt in confusion. He then turned around, and took one step forwards. The royal heir Pokémon responded by taking one as well. Intrigued, Brock took two more steps, and was amazed when Tyrunt took two more.

"Wow!" said Korrina. "He really likes you!"

"Indeed," said Thaddeus. "It seems that this Tyrunt is awfully fond of you, young man!"

He then scratched his chin. "Although, I do think that security will be quite displeased with a Tyrunt following someone out of the habitat again."

Brock and the others stared at Thaddeus.

"Anyway," said Thaddeus, "I don't think it should be a problem for Tyrunt to follow you around for a while. Just as long as it doesn't cause too much of a fuss."

"That's great!" said Brock as he turned down towards Tyrunt. "I guess you can spend a little more time with me!"

"Ty! Tyrunt!" Tyrunt said happily.

Satisfied, Thaddeus gestured to the group as he began to walk through the hallway. Brock and the others quickly followed him, still wondering what else was in store for them. After a short while, they reached a new corridor. To their surprise, this one had several rows of thick coats.

"You might want to put one of these on," Thaddeus said as he himself put on a coat. "The next room is rather cold."

Brock and Korrina looked at each other, then shrugged. They then each walked up to the racks and picked out a coat. Lucario briefly grabbed a coat as well and gave it a short examination, before putting it back with a shrug. Tyrunt just watched in fascination.

"I'm glad to see you're all warm now," said Thaddeus as he opened the nearest door. "Now, let's go meet some new friends!"

Having finished putting their coats on, Brock and Korrina quickly made their way through the doorway. As they walked through, they were immediately hit by a rush of cold air. Their eyes then went wide as they saw the interior of the room, as there was a thick blanket of snow covering everything.

"Wow!" said Korrina. "It's like winter in here!"

"Yeah!" said Brock. "And I'm guessing that whatever Pokémon they have here is an ice type!"

"Amaura!"

Brock and Korrina looked down at the source of the sound. To their amazement, they saw a small blue Pokémon with yellow and pink fins on its head, as well as a jewel on the side of its body.

"Wow!" said Korrina as she got down on one knee. "An Amaura!"

"Amaura!" the little sauropod said as she rubbed up against Korrina. Though surprised at first, Korrina quickly smiled and placed a hand on Amaura's neck.

"Why hello, there!" said Korrina. "You're a friendly little Pokémon, aren't you?"

"Lucario!" Lucario said as he got down next to his trainer.

"Yes," said Thaddeus. "Amaura lived in an area with relatively few predators, so they've evolved to be naturally friendly. So far, they've managed to adapt rather well to the presence of humans."

"Amazing!" said Brock. "To think that these Pokémon that have been extinct for millions of years are here with us right now!"

"Amaura!" the tundra Pokémon said happily. While she didn't understand much about how it had come to be, she did enjoy the company of the strange new beings that had just arrived. In particular, she really liked the yellow-haired one. She seemed like a friendly creature, and Amaura wanted to spend more time with her.

"Tyrunt!"

The group looked away from Amaura for a moment, and saw Tyrunt approaching them. He seemed to be curious about the other Pokémon, and was approaching warily.

"Aura?" Amaura asked as she saw the newcomer.

"Tyrunt!" Tyrunt said with a smile. "Runt! Tyrunt!"

"Aw, they like each other!" said Korrina.

"Yeah," said Brock. "It's so nice to see two ancient Pokémon getting along like that!"

"Cario!" Lucario said in agreement.

Amaura smiled as she looked at all her new friends. Even if she didn't understand much about her new world, she was at least happy to have someone who was there for her.

Unfortunately, the moment was then ruined when Tyrunt tackled her.

"Amaura!" the little sauropod cried in shock.

Brock, Korrina, and Lucario stared in shock. They then looked at Tyrunt, who had a carefree smile on his face.

"Tyrunt!" said Brock. "That was rude!"

"Runt?" Tyrunt asked, looking at the squinty-eyed creature in confusion. Why did he suddenly seem less friendly? Didn't he want him to play around?

Before Tyrunt could get any more information, he was blasted by a multicolored beam.

"Maura!"

Tyrunt got up, slightly pained, and was met by the angry glare of Amaura. He began to growl, and snorted as he got into a battling pose. Before anything else could happen, however, he was lifted off his feet. Confused, he looked around and saw the brown haired creature from before.

"Stop that, guys!" said Brock. "There's no need to fight like that!"

Across from the two, Korrina had lifted Amaura into her own arms. The tundra Pokémon was glaring at Tyrunt, who was growling fiercely.

"Oh my," said Thaddeus. "Unfortunately, Tyrunt is a rather self-centered Pokémon, and often fails to consider that its idea of fun might not be the same as other Pokémon. Unfortunately, said idea of fun often includes tackling others."

"Oh," said Brock. "Well, that's not good."

"And now they're both angry at each other," said Korrina. "What do we do now?"

Thaddeus scratched his chin. "Well, even if they are ancient Pokémon, they are still Pokémon. Therefore, if they have a battle, they might be able to understand each other better, and make amends."

Brock and Korrina looked down at their respective fossil Pokémon.

"So, you think they should have a battle?" said Brock.

"Indeed," said Thaddeus. "Of course, as we all know, Pokémon battle better if they have someone to direct them. And since these two don't have trainers, perhaps you two could fill that role?"

"Us?" Brock said in surprise. "I mean, I guess it would be nice to battle with-"

"YES!"

Brock blinked, then looked at Korrina, who had an ecstatic look on her face.

"We'll do it! For the Pokemon!"

She then set Amaura down on the ground and pointed her finger.

"Get ready, Brock! Amaura and I are going to show you a battle you'll never forget!"

Lucario rolled his eyes, but nevertheless sat down, interested in seeing the outcome of the battle. Brock stared at her speechlessly, then looked down at Tyrunt.

"Uh… I guess we're battling them?"

"Tyrunt!" Tyrunt said. He then jumped out of Brock's arms and landed on the ground, ready to fight.

"Well, this is certainly going to be an interesting battle," said Thaddeus. "It's not every day that you get to see two ancient Pokémon battling each other!"

Brock and Korrina nodded, then turned to face each other. Their respective fossil Pokémon did the same, ready to settle their issues.

It was going to be a battle to remember.

* * *

 ** _A/N: I was looking to get this chapter done before Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon were released. Unfortunately, it ended up becoming way bigger than I expected, so I was unable to finish before Ultra Sun consumed all my spare time. And then I realized that I was going to have to stop halfway through because it was getting too big, and I'd never release anything otherwise._**

 ** _Anyway, consider this an early Christmas present from me to you. I might release the second half before the end of the year, but don't count on it._**


	31. Poke Puffs, Fossils, and Fights, Part 2

"Okay!" said Serena. "The batter's almost ready!"

Fennekin and Shinx chirped happily as they watched their trainer mix up the PokePuff batter. Even though their first batch of Pokepuffs had been eaten by Chespin before they could be properly judged, they still felt that they would have won. Thus, they were more determined than before to make their Pokepuffs better than ever.

"Serena is so amazing," Ash said as he watched his crush work. "I know she's going to win this round!"

"Pikapii…" Pikachu said in a teasing voice.

Ash smiled as he kept watching Serena. He was amazed by how efficient she was with her Pokepuffs, as well as how her two Pokemon worked with her. It was truly a sight to see.

Of course, this meant that Ash was rather oblivious to other things that were happening around him. Such as a certain girl who was sneaking up on him.

"Enjoying the view?"

Ash yelped as he almost fell out of his chair. Regaining his composure, he looked around to see Miette smirking at him.

"Oh! Uh, hi Miette?" he said awkwardly.

"Hello," Miette said with a mischievous smile on her face. "Ash, was it?"

"Uh, yeah," Ash said as he stared at the blue-haired girl in confusion. "Um, what's up?"

"Oh, nothing," said Miette. "So, you're enjoying watching Serena work?"

Ash swallowed hard. He wasn't sure where the conversation was going, but he didn't think he was going to enjoy it.

"Well, she's a friend," he said finally. "Of course I'd enjoy watching her."

Pikachu snickered, while Miette just kept smiling.

"I see. So… she's just a friend?"

"Uh… yeah?"

"Nothing more?"

A drop of sweat formed on Ash's brow.

"Not really?"

Miette stared at Ash for a moment, then turned back towards Serena. She then turned back towards Ash and smiled.

"So, she wouldn't mind you hanging out with other girls aside from her?"

Miette then crept up closer to Ash and gave him a particularly mischievous look, causing Ash to shift uncomfortably. Pikachu was struggling to contain his laughter, while Chespin was just staring at the two humans in confusion.

"After all, I wouldn't mind getting to know you better."

Ash tried to speak, only for the words to get caught in his throat. He wanted to tell Miette that he wasn't interested, but he had no idea how to do so without seeming rude. All he wanted was for something, anything, to get Miette to leave.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

He wasn't quite sure if hearing Serena as angry as she was right now was what he would have expected.

"Oh, hi Serena!" Miette said as she smiled innocently. "Why aren't you working on your Poke Puffs?"

"I should ask you the same thing!" Serena yelled.

"Oh, I'm so good at making Poke Puffs that I can afford to lose some time," said Miette, the innocent smile on her face never vanishing. "Honestly, you should be more worried about your Puffs."

"My Puffs are going to be so much better than anything you could make!" Serena yelled. "And right now, I want to know why you're getting so close to Ash!"

"What? I'm not allowed to make friends?"

"I don't know what you're doing, but that is not making friends!"

At that moment, Miette's smile became much more mischievous.

"Oh, I'm sorry? Are you worried that I'm going to steal your boyfriend?"

Serena's eyes widened.

"What?!" she cried in shock as her face became as red as a tamato berry. "No! Its not like that!"

"Oh really?" Miette said teasingly. "Because you seem awfully mad that I'm getting so close to your boy-"

"Shut it!" Serena practically screamed. "He's a boy, and he's a friend, but he's not my boyfriend!"

Miette smirked. This was just too easy.

"So you won't mind if I take him?"

"Don't you dare!"

"But you said he's not your boyfriend!" Miette said with a fake pout. "Why should you care?"

"I don't!" yelled Serena. "I mean, I do, but… you…"

Finally, Serena grabbed Miette by the collar.

"Just work on your Poke Puffs!"

With that, Serena dragged Miette off towards her baking station. Ash stared at the two girls blankly, while Pikachu fell over laughing.

"What… just happened?"

"Ooh!" Rotom said as he popped out of Ash's pocket. "I like her!"

* * *

Brock and Tyrunt stared down their opponents with determination. It was an exciting opportunity for both of them, and they couldn't wait for the battle to get started.

"So, do you think you and Amaura can win, Korrina?" Brock asked.

"Of course we're going to win!" Korrina said excitedly. "I'm the granddaughter of Gurkinn, and a Gym Leader in training!"

"Yeah?" said Brock. "Well I'm a former Gym Leader, so we both know who has the edge here!"

"Runt! Tyrunt!"

"We'll make you eat those words!"

"Amaura!"

Thaddeus smiled. It warmed his heart to see such enthusiasm among trainers.

"Very well," he said. "This shall be a one-on-one battle between Tyrunt and Amaura. The battle shall be over when either Pokémon is unable to battle. Begin!"

Immediately, both trainers called their first moves.

"Tyrunt! Use Rock Throw!"

"Amaura! Use Aurora Beam!"

The royal heir Pokemon flung out a volley of rocks at Amaura, hitting her head on. The tundra Pokemon cried in pain, but responded by firing off a multicolored beam at her opponent. Tyrunt cried out as he was hit, but then roared out, determined to win.

"Try another Rock Throw!" Brock called out.

"Dodge it, and use Aurora Beam!" yelled Korrina.

Tyrunt tossed out a number of rocks at Amaura, who jumped out of the way. The little sauropod then shot out another Aurora Beam, which narrowly missed Tyrunt.

"Tyrunt!" Brock called. "We're going to have to get in close! Use Bite!"

Tyrunt bared his fangs as he charged towards Amaura. The tundra Pokemon was unable to dodge this time, and cried out as she was clamped by her opponent.

"Don't let him win!" Korrina yelled. "Use Powder Snow!"

Amaura grit her teeth in pain, but still heard Korrina's command. She fired off a flurry of snow, which hit the royal heir Pokemon right in the face.

It also went right into Brock's face.

"Gah!" Brock cried out. "Watch it!"

"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry!" said Korrina. "I guess Amaura needs to aim better!"

"I guess," said Brock as he wiped the snow off his face. "Anyway, use Rock Throw Tyrunt!"

"Dodge it, Amaura!"

Tyrunt cried out as he flung out several rocks. They went flying towards Amaura, who rushed as fast as she could to evade the attack.

"Look out!"

Amaura's eyes widened as a particularly large rock fell towards her. She jumped away, just barely escaping. However, as the rock fell, it lifted up a huge plume of snow, which ended up falling over everything in the vicinity.

The result was that Korrina was covered in snow.

"Korrina!" said Brock. Are you okay?"

For a moment, there was silence. Then the blonde trainer shook the snow off of her body.

"Brock!" she yelled. "You did that on purpose!"

"What?!" said Brock. "But I didn't-"

"You were getting back at me for that attack from before!" said Korrina.

"I was not!" said Brock. "It was an accident, and-"

Before Brock could say anything else, he was hit in the face with a snowball.

"And that was a accident too!" Korrina said sarcastically

Brock shook his face, ridding himself of the snow. Then, he glared at Korrina.

"Oh, it is on."

The squinty-eyed trainer grabbed a handful of snow, formed it into a ball, and flung it at his opponent. Korrina yelped, then grabbed another bunch of snow and tossed it at Brock

"Don't you dare think you're going to win this one!" said Korrina.

"I'd say the same thing to you!" Brock yelled as he scooped up another snowball.

Tyrunt watched on confusion as the two trainers tossed snowballs at each other. Why were they no longer giving any commands? Was this another part of the battle that he didn't know about, where the pack leaders fought without the others? He turned to Amaura, who seemed just as confused. He then looked over at Thaddeus and Lucario, who were just staring.

"Well, I thought that this was just going to be a Pokémon battle," said Thaddeus. "Does this happen a lot?"

Lucario sighed, then bent over and began to gather some snow. He then formed a pair of snowballs, giving each a quick inspection to make sure they were ready.

He then tossed one at Brock, and the other at Korrina.

"Gah!" said Korrina, her snowballs now forgotten. "Who hit me?!"

"Not me!" said Brock.

"Car! Lucario!"

Both trainers blinked, then turned towards Lucario.

"LucarioLu!" Lucario barked, frustrated at his trainer's antics. "Lucario!"

Brock and Korrina stared at Lucario for a moment. Then, they turned to each other.

"Snowball him?" Brock asked.

"Snowball him," Korrina confirmed.

Lucario's eyes widened as two snowballs flew right towards him. He quickly formed his Bone Rush attack, then swung it around, swatting back both snowy projectiles before he could be hit. He then looked at the two trainers with a smug smile.

He was then hit by a Rock Throw and an Aurora Beam.

Korrina and Brock stared at Lucario, then turned to Tyrunt and Amaura.

"Tyrunt!"

"Amaura!"

The two trainers then looked at each other and laughed.

"Well, I think Tyrunt and Amaura are getting along very well with you two," said Thaddeus. "And it seems like they're learning to work together as well!"

"Lucario…" Lucario groaned as he got back up.

"You know," said Brock, "you're right. Tyrunt is definitely a great Pokémon!"

"And so is Amaura!" said Korrina.

"Indeed," said Thaddeus. "Now, it seems to me that someone needs to finish their battle?"

Korrina and Brock looked down at their respective Pokémon and smiled.

"Yeah," said Brock, "you're right!"

"Come on, guys," said Korrina, "let's get back to our battle!"

The group cheered, then returned to their battle.

* * *

"Ta da!"

Ash, Pikachu, and Chespin drooled at the sight at the Poke Puffs in front of them. Serena smiled, happy that she had their attention.

"What do you think? I put a lot of effort into these!"

"Not as much as me!"

The group turned to see Miette placing her own plate of Poke Puffs on the table.

"You see? My Poke Puffs are vastly superior to Serena's."

"In your dreams!" Serena yelled. "Ash prefers mine!"

Ash tried to point out that he hadn't even had a chance to taste either Poke Puff, but before he could say anything, he was interrupted.

"Oh, really?" said Miette. "Well, I have plenty of reason to believe that Ash prefers my cooking over anything you could ever make."

She then turned to Ash with a seduce look in her eyes.

"Isn't that right, my dear Ash?"

Ash's eyes went wide with horror, Pikachu struggled to not burst into laughter, Chespin looked on in confusion, and Serena glared at Miette in rage.

"What do you think you're doing?!" the honey blonde haired girl yelled angrily.

"Oh," said Miette as she gave Serena a mischievous look, "just getting to know my future husband."

"That's it!"

Before anyone could react,. Serena grabbed a Poke Puff from her pile and flung it into Miette's face.

"Now maybe you'll see just how much better my Poke Puffs are!" Serena said in a deceptively sweet voice.

Slowly, Miette wiped the bits of pastry off her face. She then glared at Serena.

"Oh, I don't think so."

She then grabbed one of her own Poke Puffs and tossed it at Serena. The honey blonde haired girl yelped as she was hit, then cried out in rage.

"You'll pay for that!" she yelled as she tossed out two more puffs, which hit Miette dead on.

"Make me!" Miette yelled as she retaliated with a volley of her own puffs.

Ash watched speechlessly as the two girls flung puffs at each other, while Pikachu's amused expression had faded. Chespin was just watching on in horror at the grievous waste of food. Back at the baking station, Slurpuff, Espurr, Fennekin, and Shinx were staring at the battle in confusion.

"Shinx, Shinx?" Shinx asked as he turned to Fennekin, asking her if it was normal for the alphas to fight each other like Serena and Miette were.

"Fennek-Fennekin," Fennekin replied, explaining that it was just the two trainers being silly.

Meanwhile, Serena and Miette had both run out of Pokepuffs, and were now grappling with each other. Serena had Miette in a headlock, while Miette was tugging on Serena's hair.

"Let go now!" yelled Serena.

"You do it first!" yelled Miette.

"Never!"

"Then you're going down!"

Finally, Ash had enough.

"STOP!"

Immediately, the two girls let go of each other.

"What is it with you two?!" Ash yelled angrily. "Don't you realize how silly all of this is?!"

He pointed his finger at Miette.

"Look, Miette. I don't know what your deal is, but you've been antagonizing Serena ever since you met her. There's nothing wrong with being proud of your baking skills, but you were just flaunting our skills in front of Serena. And then you baited her into doing this whole competition, and you're doing that whole… I don't even know what to call it, but I can definitely tell you that I'm sure not interested in you that way!"

Miette shrunk back a bit under Ash's words, which caused Serena to feel just a tiny bit smug. However, the feeling vanished as soon as Ash pointed his finger at her.

"And you, Serena, I thought you'd know better than this. I understand that Miette insulted you and your Poke Puffs, but that's no excuse for you to lose your cool like you did! And you let yourself get baited into this competition, and when she did her weird talking thing with me! Don't you realize you're just letting you get pulled into this?!"

Ash stopped talking and started to catch his breath. Serena looked downwards, full of guilt. She realized that Ash was right. She shouldn't have let Miette bait her into this sort of competition, especially if it was just to prove that she was better than Miette at this.

She then looked up at Miette, who had a guilty look on her face.

"I'm sorry, Serena," the blue haired girl said, her voice full of remorse. "What I was doing was wrong, and I want to apologize."

"I'm sorry too," said Serena. "I let you mess with me, and I should have dealt with you in a more mature manner."

The two girls looked at each other, then smiled. They weren't very big smiles, but at least their initial hostility was now absent.

"So… we still have one more round," said Miette. "Maybe we could make a big batch of Pokepuffs together?"

"Yeah," said Serena. "I think that's a good idea."

Ash smiled. Things finally seemed to be looking up.

"I think it might all work out after all!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu said in agreement.

"Ches-Ches!" Chespin said as he scooped up the bits of Pokepuff that were splattered all over. He then proceeded to shove them into his mouth.

* * *

Brock and Korrina walked out of the habitat, huge smiles on both their faces. Lucario followed close by, smiling at the two trainers' excitement.

"That was so much fun!" said Korrina. "I mean, we got to have a battle with Pokemon that have been extinct for millions of years!"

"Yeah," aid Brock. "It was an amazing experience!"

"It's kind of a shame that we have to leave them behind, though," said Korrina. "I really wanted to spend more time with Amaura."

"Yeah, I'll miss Tyrunt," said Brock. "I really wish they could come with us."

As if to answer Brock's wish, they were stopped by a pair of voices.

"Maura!"

"Runt!"

The two turned around, and were surprised to see both Tyrunt and Amaura staring at them expectantly.

"Amaura?" said Korrina. "What are you doing here?"

"You too, Tyrunt," said Brock. "Shouldn't you be going back?"

"Well, it seems to me that these two are extremely fond of you two," said Thaddeus as he walked up to them. "It's quite amazing, especially when you consider that none of the scientists in this facility have such close relations to any of the Tyrunt or Amaura here."

He then snapped his fingers.

"Why don't you take these two with you?"

Brock and Korrina's eyes widened.

"What?!" said Brock.

"Are you serious?!" said Korrina.

"Of course I am," said Thaddeus. "I'll admit, there is some paperwork you would need to fill out, given that these Pokemon are extremely valuable specimens, and they technically belong to our institute. But to be honest, they are probably best off with a pair of trainers that can bring out their full potential. And they have bonded very well with the two of you, so I see no reason why they can't be with you."

Brock and Korrina grinned, then looked down at the two fossil Pokemon.

"Did you hear that, guys?" said Korrina. "You're coming with us!"

"Ra! Maura!" Amaura said happily.

"Tyrunt-runt!" Tyrunt cheered.

"Excellent!" said Thaddeus. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to fetch the paperwork."

As Thaddeus walked off, Korrina smiled in excitement. She was actually going to get to train a fossil Pokemon! One that had been extinct for eons, and had been brought back by science! And she'd even gotten to have a battle with it!

As she thought of the battle, however, she remembered one particular moment. And all the excitement seemed to fade away.

"Hey Brock?"

Brock turned to Korrina. "Yes, Korrina?"

Korrina looked at the ground guiltily.

"I just wanted to say… I'm sorry for losing my temper and throwing that snowball at you."

Brock looked at her in surprise. Before he could say anything else, however, Korrina continued.

"See, back when we were younger, me and Astrid would have battles whenever we got into fights. And… sometimes we would have our Pokemon 'accidentally' fling mud, or dust, or whatever at the other trainer. And then they would have their Pokemon retaliate, and eventually we would descend into a chaotic fist fight."

"Oh," said Brock.

"Lucar, car," Lucario said, admitting that he and Absol had been a bit more immature in their younger days. Of course, both Pokemon had matured quite a bit since those days. They only wished their trainers could do the same.

"I know, Lucario," said Korrina. "And, well, when Amaura sent that powder snow at you, I remembered those battles we had, and I was worried that you might try to get back at me."

"And then Tyrunt brought that rock down," said Brock. "And when that happened…"

"I automatically assumed the worst," Korrina concluded, clearly looking guilty. "So… yeah. I'm sorry, Brock."

The blonde trainer stared downwards guiltily. Then, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She then looked up to see Brock smiling at her.

"Don't worry about it, Korrina. I mean, I was a bit mad about it, but in the end it all worked out didn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess," she answered. "But… I still assumed the worst about you when Tyrunt's attack went wrong."

"Then you'll just have to not assume that in the future, right?" said Brock. "I know that you and Astrid didn't get along all that well, but we're friends. And that means we trust each other. So let's not make any more mistakes, right?"

Slowly, a smile formed on Korrina's face.

"Yeah, you're right," she said. "You're not like Astrid at all. Thanks, Brock."

"Anytime," said Brock. "So are we cool?"

"We're cool."

The two trainers smiled, then shook hands.

* * *

"These Poke Puffs are amazing!"

Serena and Miette smiled as Ash complimented the Poke Puffs they had created together. Pikachu and the other Pokemon seemed to be enjoying them as well, as they each had a big smile on their faces.

"We're so glad you liked them, Ash," said Serena.

"We wanted them to be a representation of our newfound respect for each other," said Miette.

"Well, you did a good job," Ash said as he looked at the Poke Puff in his hand. It was coated in both pink and blue frosting, with blue and white sprinkles, as well as a slice of fresh Pecha berry.

"Fenn!" Fennekin said, happy to see that her trainer was no longer fighting for no reason.

"Shinx, Shinx," said Shinx. While he would have preferred to see his alpha victorious, he was satisfied with her making peace with her rival.

Both of Serena's Pokemon then turned to face Miette's Pokemon. Espurr and Slurpuff chirped, then gave the two a smile. Fennekin and Shinx smiled, then chirped back.

"Aw, looks like your Pokemon are friends now," said Ash.

"Pika!"

"Oh yeah," said Serena. "It's so nice that all our Pokemon are happy."

"Especially Chespin," Miette said as she turned to look at the spiny nut Pokemon

"Chessh!" Chespin said with his mouth full. He then swallowed his mouthful and reached out for another Puff.

It was then that he suddenly became a lot greener than normal.

"Cheesss…"

The trainers and Pokemon all looked at Chespin in concern.

"Chespin?" asked Ash. "Are you okay?"

In response, Chespin rushed out of his chair and off to the nearest trash bin. He then stuck his head in and began to let out a series of sickening sounds. Half concerned, half disgusted, the rest of the group stared as the gluttonous grass type purged out the remains of the many Poke Puffs he had consumed.

"You know," said Miette, "In hindsight, maybe having him as a judge wasn't the best idea.

Ash tried to speak, but before he could, Rotom popped out of his pocket.

"You know, I was really hoping he would explode."

"You're not being serious, are you?" Ash said as he rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Ashy-boy! Think of the science!"

Miette blinked as she lay eyes on the possessed device.

"Is that… a talking Pokemon?"

"Nah," said Rotom. "I'm just a normal Rotom, but I live inside Ash's Pokedex. I give useful information, as well as entertaining commentary, advice nobody requested, and helpful tips for Ash and Serena's love life!"

At this, both the trainers in question turned red as tamato berries.

"I told you we're not a couple!" they said in perfect synchronization.

For a moment, Miette just stared at the two blushing trainers. She then turned to Rotom and smirked.

"You know," she said, "I think this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"I couldn't agree more!" said Rotom."

* * *

Sometime later, Miette had gathered up her items, and was standing next to the entrance of the Pokemon Center.

"You're leaving already?" Serena said as she held the now moaning Chespin in her arms.

"Yeah," said Miette. "I have stuff that I need to do, so I do need to go now. Don't worry, though. I'm pretty sure we'll see each other sooner or later."

"Not to mention you have my PidgeyTalk and TrainerBook pages!" said Rotom.

"Since when do you have PidgeyTalk or TrainerBook?" asked Ash. "And for that matter, how do you even use them? I never gave you my Holo-Caster."

"Pika. PikaPi."

"I have apps for those on the Pokedex!" said Rotom. "They were included when I came to live in this cozy little device!

Ash did not reply to that but he privately questioned the wisdom of installing any social apps on a device that was made to be possessed by a mischievous Pokemon such as Rotom.

"Well, whatever the case, I think we're going to see each other eventually," said Miette. "And I'm pretty sure that it's going to be a lot friendlier this time."

"Just as long as you two don't get into some silly argument about Poke Puffs," said Ash.

"Pikachu!"

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, Ash," said Miette. "We'll find something else to have a silly argument about."

Ash, Pikachu, and Serena groaned, while Miette and Rotom laughed.

"Ah well," said Miette. "It's been fun, but I have to go. It was nice to meet you, though!"

With that, she quickly rushed up to Serena and pulled her into a quick hug. Serena's eyes widened in surprise, and Chespin groaned at the sudden squeeze.

"Have fun, Serena! Keep making lots of great Poke Puffs, and don't let anyone else get Ash!"

She then rushed over to Ash and pulled him into a hug. This time, however, she pulled close enough to whisper into Ash's ear.

"Just remember. If things don't work out between you and Serena, I'll be waiting."

Ash blushed hard as the blue haired girl rushed out the doors.

"See you guys later!"

With that, Ash and the others were left alone. For a moment, nobody spoke. For what little they had known her, Miette had certainly left an impact on them.

"Wow! I can't wait to meet her again!" said Rotom. Ash responded by shoving it into his pocket.

"So, what now?" said Serena as she held Chespin in her arms.

"I guess we wait for Brock and Korrina to get back?" said Ash.

"Pikachu!"

"Cheesss…"

"No need! We're here!"

Ash and Serena's eyes widened as they looked towards the entrance. Sure enough, the two older trainers were now walking into the Pokemon Center.

"Brock! Korrina!" Serena said excitedly.

"Hey guys!" said Korrina. "You're not going to believe what an awesome day we had!"

"Oh, we need to hear that!" Ash said excitedly as he pumped his fist.

"Pika!"

"You definitely are going to enjoy it," said Brock. He then frowned. "Although I would like an explanation as to why Chespin is looking like he ate way too much."

"Piiiin…"Chespin moaned.

Ash and Serena both looked down at the spiny nut Pokemon, then gave Brock a mareepish smile.

"Oh, yeah… about that…"

* * *

 _ **A/N: That took way too long to write. I'd blame it on work, but mostly it was a lack of inspiration on my part. Ah well, at least I was able to get this out in time for Pokemon Day.**_

 _ **On a more positive note, we're getting close to Cyllage City. There's a lot that is going to happen there, including Ash's second Badge, and Serena's first Showcase! I'm hoping I can get to that soon, but with my track record, I'm not making any promises.**_

 _ **Also, thank Arceus that Miette was not given the Rotom Pokedex.**_


	32. Practicing For a Big Day

" _Amaura, the Tundra Pokémon. Amaura was restored from part of its body that had been frozen in ice for over 100 million years_ , kind of like whatever junk you left in the freezer until your mom told you to clean the fridge!"

Ash tried to hold back the nausea he felt at Rotom's joke, as did the other trainers. As he looked down at Amaura, he noted that she seemed to be more confused by the device's existence than whatever it was saying. Tyrunt was giving the Pokedex a curious look, as if trying to figure out if he should attack it or not.

"Well," said Ash, "that was a bit more than I needed to know."

"Pikaa," Pikachu said in agreement.

"Whatever you say, buddy!" Rotom said as he pointed himself as the second fossil. " _Tyrunt, the Royal Heir Pokémon. Tyrunt's jaws are so big and powerful, it can crunch up a car. If it doesn't like something, it responds with a wild tantrum,_ because it's a ginormous baby who can't take any criticism!"

Before anyone else could say anything, Tyrunt squawked and clamped his jaws over Rotom.

" **Gyaaahhh!** " Rotom screamed. "My circuits!"

Tyrunt continued to shake Rotom around, occasionally bashing the haunted device against the floor. He then flung it out as hard as he could, causing Rotom to crash against a nearby wall.

"Hello Professor?..." it moaned in pain. "I want an upgrade, please…"

Ash and the others stared at Rotom, then stared down at Tyrunt. He seemed particularly displeased at Rotom's joke, and was making a big show of ruffling his protofeathers.

"Well, I guess now we know not to insult Tyrunt," said Brock.

"And maybe Rotom will be less rude from now on," Korrina said hopefully.

"I think you're being way too optimistic, Korrina," said Serena.

Ash chuckled, then smiled as he turned his gaze back towards the two fossil Pokémon.

"Well, I think you two are incredibly lucky. I mean, who wouldn't want to train a pair of awesome fossil Pokémon like these two?"

"Amaura!"

"Tyrunt!"

"I know, right?" said Korrina. "It's going to be so much fun!"

"Not to mention a great chance to show these two everything the modern world has to offer," said Brock.

It was then that he heard a pained moan.

"Piiinnn…"

Looking down, he saw Chespin groaning in his arms.

"And a chance to show you why you can't just eat all the Poke Puffs near you, buster."

The rest of the group laughed, while Chespin moaned.

* * *

The next day, the group set out towards Cyllage City. The group was particularly excited, as there were two important events coming up.

"Oh, man," said Ash as they walked along the road. "I can't wait for my next Gym battle!"

"Pikapika!" Pikachu said in agreement.

"That's right," said Serena. "I think it's going to be really exciting to see what you have in store for us, Ash!"

"Heh, thanks Serena," said Ash as he chuckled. "Actually, aren't you going to do your first showcase?"

Serena blinked.

"Yeah," she said, now somewhat more worried. "My first showcase…"

"Hey, chin up," said Korrina. "I'm sure you'll do great!"

"Yeah," said Brock. "And even if you don't win, you can use it as an opportunity to learn and improve in the future!"

Surprised, Serena looked up to her friends and saw the encouraging smiles they were giving her. FIlled with confidence, she smiled as well.

"Yeah, you're right," she said. "I'm going to do my best!"

"Great," said Ash. "That's the spirit!"

"Pikapika!" said Pikachu.

Serena smiled, then looked out onto the road. The beach stretched out to the side, with a fresh breeze from the sea. The sun was shining brightly, without a single cloud in the sky. It was perfect to get a little bit of practice done.

"Though, just so we're sure we're ready, maybe we should get a bit of practice in," she said.

"That sounds like a good idea," said Ash. "Pikachu still needs to perfect his Iron Tail, and the rest of my team could definitely do with extra training."

The rest of the group nodded. It seemed like a good idea to everyone involved.

"Alright everybody," Ash said as he sent out his Pokeballs. "Come on out!"

* * *

"You heard that too, didn't you?"

The figure looked down at her partner, who chirped in agreement.

"That girl plans to enter the next Showcase in Cyllage City," she continued. "But it sounds like she has a liiittle bit of confidence issues. So maybe she needs someone to push her in the right direction?"

She smiled and pumped her fist.

"Right! If we can help guide her, then she'll help us show the world that Pokémon aren't just about battling! Everyone will see just how much beauty there is in performing!"

With that, she got up and looked at her partner.

"Come on, Ali! We have a performer to make!"

"Tari!"

* * *

"Let's try Iron Tail one more time!"

Pikachu nodded, then jumped into the air. His tail then began to glow with metallic energy.

"Pikaaa-Pika!"

The mouse Pokémon then flung his tail towards a large rock, aiming to crush the rock with his tail. However, before he could reach it, the glow around his tail faded, and he struck the rock with a bare tail.

"Piii!" he cried in pain as he fell backwards, clutching his aching tail in agony.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled as he rushed to his starter's side. "Are you okay?"

"Pikaaa…" Pikachu moaned as he clutched his aching tail.

"Yeah, I know," said Ash. "I guess Iron Tail is just harder to get the hang of, right?"

Nearby, Riolu and Lucario had been sparring with each other. However, upon seeing Pikachu's struggle, Riolu broke off and rushed over to Ash. Lucario briefly stopped in confusion, then joined them as well.

"Riolu?" the emanation Pokémon asked. "Rio?"

"Pikaaa…" Pikachu groaned.

"Yeah," said Ash. "Pikachu is having trouble with his Iron Tail attack. It looks like he can get it started, but he's having trouble getting it done once he starts. Do you guys have any trouble li that?"

Riolu and Lucario looked at Ash, then at Pikachu. Then, Lucario walked up to the rock that PIkachu had been practicing on, and pointed at it.

"Lu-Lucario."

Lucario's paws began to shine as his claws extended. He then slammed them into the rock, carving out a large section. He then looked at Pikachu and nodded.

"Lucario."

Pikachu stared at the rock for a moment, impressed by the damage that Lucario had deal to the rock. He then began his own attack, feeling his tail as he solidified it.

"Car," Lucario instructed.

Nodding, Pikachu jumped forwards with his tail glowing. He then struck the rock with enough force to put several cracks in it.

"Pikachu!" Ash said in amazement. "You did it!"

Pikachu looked at the rock and smiled.

"Pi-Pikachu!"

"Rio! Riolu!" Riolu said, congratulating his teammate.

"We're going to do so well in our next gym battle," said Ash. "Don't you think, Pikachu?"

"Pikapi!"

Riolu smiled as he looked at his two teammates, then turned his attention to the rock. While Pikachu hadn't been able to destroy the rock, he had left it very damaged, and it seemed as if it wouldn't take much to break it.

With a grunt, Riolu began to gather energy in his paw as he clenched it into a fist. Then, with a loud bang, he thrust it forwards, causing the rock to shatter. He then pulled backwards and pumped his arm, letting out a clicking sound. Smiling, he turned back towards Ash and Pikachu both of whom were staring in awe.

"Wow!" said Ash. "That was amazing, Riolu!"

"Pikachu!"

"Lucario," Lucario said in approval.

The emanation Pokémon chuckled awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head.

"I know we're going to win now!" said Ash. "You're going to be great, Riolu!"

"Riolu!" Riolu said happily.

* * *

Unfortunately, things were not going quite as well for Serena.

"Okay, Fennekin!" she said. "Let's try that one more time!"

Fennekin jumped into the air, letting out a stream of Embers. The idea was to create a ring of fire that Serena and Fennekin would be able to dance through. So far, however, the results were… less than ideal.

"Watch out!"

Serena just barely managed to dodge the fiery bits that fell around her. Finally, the Embers died down, and Serena slumped to the floor in exhaustion.

"Ugh," she said tiredly. "That's not working."

"Fenn," Fennekin said sadly as she rubbed up against her trainer.

"Oh Fennekin," Serena said as she petted her starter. "It wasn't your fault."

"Shinx, Shinx," the flash Pokémon said in a dubious tone. He still didn't get why his alpha was insisting on these strange dancing rituals, even if they did look rather visually appealing.

He briefly imagined himself joining in to one of the dances, before dismissing the thought.

"Well, maybe we can get it right the next time," Serena said as she got back up. "Like Ash, don't give up until it's over!"

While Serena and Fennekin got back to their attempts, Korrina and Brock watched the two younger trainers as they prepared lunch.

"Well, Ash seems to be on the right track," Korrina commented as she set the table. "It looks like Serena's having trouble, though."

"Yeah," said Brock as he stirred the contents of the pot. "I'm starting to wonder if she's going to be able to nail down her performance."

"Oh, I think she can!"

Brock and Korrina turned in surprise at the sound of the voice. To their surprise, they were met by the sight of a girl.

"Yep, definitely performer material," the girl said. She had light green hair and eyes, and she was wearing a red hoodie with an Omega symbol in the center, blue jeans with an Alpha symbol near the bottom of each leg, and green glasses with a Delta symbol right between the eyes. Her hair was loose and hanging down her back, and she was watching Serena with a fascinated look on her face.

"I mean, she may be a bit rough around the edges, but I'm sure she's got what it takes to be the next Kalos Queen!"

She then turned to face the others.

"Oh, hello there. I'm Alicia. Who are you?"

Korrina blinked, then opened her mouth to speak. Before she could do so, however, Brock rushed up to Alicia.

"My name's Brock!"

Alicia was then taken by surprise when Brock grabbed her hands.

"I know it's sudden, but do you believe in love at first sight? Because you are the kind of girl I have dreamed of my whole-"

Korrina rolled her eyes as Brock gushed over Alicia. She then tried to interrupt Brock's hopeless attempts to seduce the new girl, but before she could do so, she felt a whooshing sound. The next thing she knew, Brock was being zapped by a huge electric current.

"And you're the kind of guy she's been having nightmares of her whole life!" Rotom said as Brock fell to the ground.

Korrina stared at the now moaning Brock, then at Rotom.

"How do you do that so quickly?" she finally asked.

"Eh, maybe it's just instinct," said Rotom. "Or maybe I'm just that good at telling when this loser is going to try to strike!"

Korrina groaned, while Alicia stared in confusion.

* * *

"It's so nice to meet you all!" Alicia said as she sat next to the group as they ate. "I love to see groups of trainers that work together to help each other achieve their dreams!"

She then stuck a spoonful of soup into her mouth.

"Also, the food is great!"

Ash and his friends stared at the new girl in confusion. She seemed to be friendly, but they didn't know why she had taken such an interest in them.

"By the way," she said suddenly, looking up at Serena. "Are you going to be performing?"

Serena's eyes went wide.

"Me? I mean, yeah, I'm going to be performing, even if I'm probably not going to win…"

"Don't be like that!" said Alicia. "If you think you're going to fail, then you'll never stand a chance!"

Serena blinked in surprise at the advice.

"You have to be confident that you're going to win, and then give it everything you've got! Then you'll be able to begin your story!"

She then got to her feet and waved her hands in the air.

" _My Big Beginning! A Heart-Pounding Showcase Debut!_ "

She then lay her hands back down and smiled.

"That's what I would call it, at least!"

Serena and the others stared at the green haired girl in bemusement.

"Okay then! So you want to make a great impression on your first showcase, right? Then you need to come up with something spectacular that will leave everyone in awe!"

Alicia then rushed up to Serena and grabbed her. She then dragged her to the side, causing her to gasp in surprise. Fennekin and Shinx looked on in confusion, then chose to follow their trainer.

"Okay then!" Alicia said. "Now let's see what you have to show me!"

Serena blinked, then looked down at her Pokémon. Fennekin barked in determination, while Shinx just shrugged.

"Well, Fennekin?" said Serena. "Should we show Alicia?"

"Fenn!" Fennekin said excitedly.

"Great!" said Serena. "Now let's go!"

Fennekin began to breathe out her embers. For a moment, it seemed that everything was going to go well, as the sparks formed a ring in the air. But after a few seconds, it collapsed, sending the embers falling downwards.

"Fennekin, Fenn," the fox Pokémon said in a sad voice.

"It's okay, Fennekin," said Serena. "It looks great, but we just need it to stay in the air for longer."

"Yeah!" said Alicia. "Of course, Ember is a bit trickier to use than other fire type moves, since it's not as strong, and a bit more spread out. So it might be a good idea to mix it up by adding some extra power."

She then looked down at Shinx who gave her a wary look.

"And why is this guy not doing anything?"

"He's not interested," said Serena. "I want to get him to perform, but he doesn't want to."

"Really?" said Alicia. "Well, I think he would be great at it!"

Serena blinked. "What makes you think that?"

"Every Pokémon has the potential to be a star performer," said Alicia. "It's just that some Pokémon need a bit of nudging in the right direction!"

The green haired girl then turned to Serena.

"So, can he learn any good moves?"

"Well," said Serena, "he knows Spark and Discharge. Why?"

"Because," said Alicia, "if he uses his Discharge on those Embers, it might just give them enough of a boost to stay put in the air!"

Serena looked down at Shinx, who gazed back at her curiously.

"Hey, Shinx?" said Serena. "Do you want to give it a go?"

Shinx looked at his alpha, then at Fennekin. The fox Pokémon stared back at him, then up to Serena.

"Come on, Shinx," said Serena. "It'll be fun!"

She then pointed at Fennekin. "When Fennekin starts to blow out the embers, I want you to jolt them with your Discharge, okay?"

"Shinx, Shinx," the flash Pokémon said uncertainly.

"Don't worry," said Serena, "it doesn't have to be perfect, it just needs to look good!"

With that, she turned back to Fennekin.

"Okay, Fennekin, Ember!"

Fennekin cried out as she set off a flurry of embers, which began to float in the air. As she did, Shinx fired off his Discharge, hitting the fiery particles in the air.

"You're doing it, Shinx!" Serena said excitedly. "Keep it up!"

Shinx and Fennekin kept pouring their energy into the attacks, which were beginning to stabilize into a ring large enough for them, and possibly Serena, to jump through.

"Okay guys," said Serena, "it's time to see if this works!"

She then took a few cautious steps back, taking a good look at the ring of fire and electricity spiraling in front of her. She then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Finally, she opened her eyes and began to run forwards.

Then, she jumped.

For a second, she didn't know if she'd made it or not. However, as she took in her surroundings, she saw that she was now on the opposite side of the ring. She then turned backwards and saw Shinx and Fennekin still keeping the ring up.

"Guys, we did it!"

Immediately, both Pokémon dropped their attacks and rushed up to her. Fennekin was yipping excitedly, while Shinx was more reserved, albeit still clearly pleased.

"You guys, that was amazing!" said Serena. "I think we'll actually be able to pull it off!"

"Fennekin Fenn!" Fennekin said excitedly.

"Shinx," Shinx said in a satisfied tone.

For a moment, Serena smiled at her Pokémon. Then, her attention was drawn away by the sounds of clapping.

"Oh my gosh!" Alicia said ecstatically. "That was perfect! I knew you could do it!"

"I knew you could do it!" said Ash.

"Pika Pika!"

"That was great, Serena," said Brock. "You did great!"

"You're going to rule that showcase!" said Korrina.

"Lucario!"

Serena smiled at her friends' encouragement, then back at her Pokémon.

"So, what do you guys say? Are we ready for our first performance?"

Fennekin barked in affirmation, while Shinx seemed a bit curious.

"Shinx, Shinx?" he asked, causing Serena to look down at Shinx with a smile.

"That's right, Shinx. We're going to be performing in front of a bunch of people, and showing off the routine we just did. Isn't that great?"

Shinx shrugged, still not quite sure why his alpha wanted to go through with the ritual. Still, if it helped her improve her standing against a rival pack or attract a mate, then he supposed he could help her.

Then again, he was pretty certain that the one with the red hat was his alpha's mate, so it seemed a bit odd that she'd be acting out like this.

"I guess that's the best we can expect from him," Serena said, her voice carrying a hint of disappointment.

"Hey, don't be so sad," said Alicia. "At least he's willing to help you! And that way I'm sure he'll do great in the next performance!"

She then jumped up and pumped her fist.

"And they you'll have taken your first step into the wonderful world of performing!"

A huge smile quickly spread across Serena's face. Somehow, she now felt more ready than ever.

"You're right, Alicia," she said happily. "We're going to have a great performance!"

Excited by her declaration, Serena's friend's began to cheer.

"Awesome!" said Ash. "You're going to do great!"

"PikaPika!"

"Yeah!" said Brock. "I'm looking forwards to it!"

"You go and rock that showcase!" said Korrina.

"Lucario!"

Smiling at their encouragement, Serena looked down at her two Pokémon.

"Let's go and win our first Princess Key, guys!"

"Fenn!"

"Shinx."

The honey blonde haired girl smiled to herself. Even if Shinx was still a bit of trouble, she could tell he was starting to warm up to her. And Fennekin was just as eager as ever.

She could tell that her first Showcase was going to be amazing.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Well, that took far longer than it should have. I remember how I used to put out at least two chapters each month. Oh how lazy I've gotten.**_

 _ **Ah well, I got this chapter out, at least. And we have a new character! Well... probably new. Maybe. Who knows?**_

 _ **Anyway, the next chapter should come out relatively soon. Or not. Just pretend it'll come out soon.**_


	33. The First Step

Her first showcase had been a disaster.

Serena hadn't expected to win. She was still new to performing, and so she had not been under any illusion that she would win. But she was expecting that she would at least do reasonably well. Not that it would turn out as horribly as it did.

Serena stood alone on the pier. Both her Pokémon were in their Pokeballs, and she hadn't bothered to look for the rest of her friends after she rushed out of the showcase hall. Thus, she was alone with her thoughts.

She then fell to her knees and burst into tears.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there, letting her tears fall. She was so distraught that she didn't even notice that she was being washed until she heard a voice.

"Serena?"

Serena stopped, momentarily broken out of her sobs by the voice. She then looked up, and was met by the sight of Ash.

"Ash?!" she said in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"I was worried about you," said Ash. "We couldn't find you anywhere in the hall after… well, you know."

"Pikaaa," Pikachu said in a concerned tone.

"Oh," Serena said as she got back to her feet. She then felt incredibly guilty for leaving her friends behind when she ran off. "I'm so sorry, Ack."

"It's okay," said Ash. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Serena tried to smile, but she found that she was unable to do so. She then threw her arms around Ash and began to sob.

"No! I'm not okay!"

Ash's eyes widened as he felt his crush hugging him. He wasn't sure what to do, but he could feel his cheeks getting hot. Somewhat nervously, he placed his arms around her, hoping to comfort her.

As she continued to cry, Ash continued to soothe her as much as he could. As he did, his thoughts went back to earlier in the day, to the events that had led up to that moment…

* * *

"Welcome to Cyllage City!" said Rotom. "A great place for rock climbing, biking, and other fun activities! And of course, there's a Gym and a Showcase hall!"

"Wow," Alicia said in fascination. "You're such a useful device!"

"I think you'll change your mind after a few days with it," Serena muttered.

Ash shrugged, then smiled as he looked around.

"Whatever. I'm just looking forward to getting my second badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

"Hold up, Ash," said Brock. "Remember that the Showcase is today. So you'll have to let it wait until at least tomorrow."

Ash groaned at the realization, although, he quickly recovered, and smiled.

"That's alright. Serena's showcase is important too. And besides, she's going to do great!"

Brock chuckled. "Of course you'd think that."

"Pikapiii," Pikachu said mischievously.

Ash rolled his eyes, then looked back towards Serena.

"So, are you ready for your first showcase?" he asked.

"Of course I am!" Serena said with a determined voice. "I'm going to show off just what I can do!"

"That's the spirit!" Alicia said excitedly. "I can't wait!"

"Yeah," said Korrina, "it's going to be awesome!"

"Lucario!"

Serena smiled as her friends encouraged her. She didn't know if she would win; she was just beginning her performance career, after all, and there were likely to be several other performers who were much more experienced than her. However, she wanted to at least put on a reasonably good show.

"Okay then," she said. "Let's do it."

"Fantastic!" said Rotom. "Now follow me towards the showcase hall!"

With that, a map appeared an Rotom's display as he began to float towards their destination. Serena groaned, but still followed the possessed device as it led her and her friends away.

* * *

"...And that's why using Yamask in battle is basically slavery!"

"You know," Korrina muttered, "I've heard that there are some ghost type Pokémon that lead lost travelers to their deaths."

"Oh Korrina," Rotom said an an almost offended tone. "Are you accusing me of attempting to murder my dear friends?"

"Lucar, Lu," Lucario said, pointing out that most of the group didn't really consider Rotom a "friend."

"I love you too, Lucario!" Rotom said cheekily. "And in any case, we're here!"

Serena immediately perked up as they reached the hall. She quickly rushed up to the front of the hall, to the registration booth.

"Hello! I'd like to register for today's showcase!"

"You're lucky," the receptionist said. "We have one more spot open today."

Serena grinned as the receptionist passed her the registration form. She quickly filled it out, then passed it back.

"You're all set," the receptionist said as she gestured towards the right. "You just have to go that way, and you'll reach the backstage."

"Great!" Serena said as she jumped up a bit. "I'm finally going to do this!"

"And I think you'll do great!" said Ash.

"Pikachu!"

Serena grinned. She was more determined than ever to make a great impression on her Showcase debut.

"So, you're going to be part of the performance?"

The honey blonde haired girl blinked, then looked up at an unfamiliar face. Standing before her was a dark skinned man with a black shirt and gray pants, as well as what looked like rock climbing gear. The strangest thing, however, was the fact that his brown hair was adorned with multiple colorful stones.

"I have to say, I rather enjoy watching these Pokémon Performances. It's so nice to see trainers who can bring out the best out of their Pokémon even without having to have them battle. And I'll definitely look forward to seeing you participate."

"Oh," Serena said in surprise. "Thanks?"

"You're most welcome," the man said. He then turned around to face Korrina.

"I didn't know you started traveling with friends, Korrina. I always thought it would just be you and Lucario."

"Well, I was," said Korrina, "but then I bumped into a random group who I ended up liking."

"Lucar, Lucario," Lucario added.

"Wait," said Ash. "Do you two know each other?"

"We do," said Korrina. "That's Grant, and he's the Gym Leader."

Ash's eyes widened.

"You're the Gym Leader?!"

"Yeah, I am," said Grant. "So of course, I'd know a thing or two about other Leaders, as well as their families. Speaking of which, how is Gurkinn doing?"

"Oh, he's doing fine," said Korrina. "And of course, I'm doing my best to make sure I'm ready to become the next Gym Leader."

"I can imagine," said Grant. "So who are your friends?"

"I'm Ash," said Ash, "And this is my partner, Pikachu."

"Pikachu!"

"I'm Serena," said Serena, "and I'm going to take part in the showcase today."

"I'm Brock," said Brock.

"And I'm Alicia," said Alicia. "I'm not with them, but I wanted to check out Serena's showcase debut!"

"Oh really?" said Grant. "So it's your first showcase today?"

"It is," Serena confirmed. "I don't know if I'm going to win, but I'm still going to give it everything I've got!"

"That sounds great," said Grant. "And I look forward to seeing how your career goes."

"Thanks!" said Serena. "That means a lot to me!"

"You're welcome," said Grant. "So, are you or any of your friends going to challenge the Gym?"

"I am!" said Ash. "And I'm going to win my second badge!"

"Well, I admire your confidence," said Grant, "but it will take more than just that to defeat my rock solid team!"

"Rock solid?" Brock said curiously. "Are your Pokémon rock types?"

"Yep," said Grant. "One of my best Pokémon is my Onix."

"No way!" said Brock. "I used to be a rock type Gym Leader, and my best Pokémon is Onix!"

"Really?" said Grant. "That's awesome!"

"I know!" Brock said excitedly. "And I just recently got a Tyrunt!"

"Nice," said Grant. "I actually have a Tyrunt too!"

As Grant and Brock chatted excitedly, Ash and the others watched wordlessly.

"Wow," said Serena, "the only other time I've seen Brock this excited is when he meets a girl."

"It's a shame," said Rotom. "I'd love the chance to zap him."

Everyone apart from the two rock type Gym Leaders groaned.

* * *

"So, that's how you deal with water type Pokémon."

"Amazing," said Brock. "That weakness to water was always an issue for me, but I was usually able to work around it. That being said-"

Serena chose this moment to clear her throat, catching the attention of the two rock type specialists.

"Well, I just wanted to let the two of you know that I was heading back stage to get ready for the showcase."

"Oh," Brock said, slightly embarrassed. "Yeah, good luck, Serena."

"Show them just how amazing you are!" said Ash.

"Pikachu!"

"You got this Serena!" said Korrina.

"Lucario!"

"Go out there and begin your amazing showcase career!" said Alicia.

"Do your best," said Grant.

Serena beamed. She had the support of her friends, plus a few others, and she felt ready for anything.

"Okay, guys," she said finally. "I'm going to give it everything I've got!"

With that, she rushed off to the backstage to prepare for her first performance. Meanwhile, her friends walked back towards the main hall to find their seats.

"Can you believe that Serena's finally going to begin her Performance career?" said Ash. "She's going to be so amazing!"

"Yeah," said Brock. "Although I bet that's not all you're thinking about."

Ash's eyes went wide.

"W-What?!" he stammered. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Riiiight," Korrina said with a mischievous smile. "And I suppose you're not going to be battling for any other badges?"

"Pikapiii!" Pikachu said cheekily.

"Car-Lucar

"Ashy and Serena sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…" said Rotom.

"You shut it!"

As Ash's friends continued to tease him, Grant and Alicia watched in confusion.

"So, do you know what's going on?" Grant asked Alicia.

"No idea," said Alicia.

* * *

"Welcome everyone to ze Cyllage City Rookie Class Pokémon Showcase!"

Serena watched intently at the screen as Monsieur Pierre announced the beginning of the Showcase.

"I am Monsieur Pierre, and I will be your host today! As you know today zhere will be several lovely young ladies all vying to win a coveted Princess Key!"

Serena looked down at Fennekin and Shinx. The two looked ready for anything, which filled the honey blonde haired performer with confidence.

"So, are you two ready for this?"

"Fennekin!" Fennekin said eagerly.

"Shinx," Shinx said, not as eager as Fennekin, but still ready to go.

"Great!" said Serena. "Then let's do this!"

Now ready, the group looked back at the screen, where Pierre was now explaining the rules of the theme performance.

"Zhe theme of today's theme performance shall be… Dress up!"

Serena watched in fascination as various articles of clothing were presented on the stage.

"Each performer shall have 10 minutes to dress zheir Pokémon in a way that will impress zhe audience. The performers work shall be judged by the audience, and zhe performer who gathers zhe most votes shall move on to zhe freestyle performance!"

Serena smiled. Fashion was something she was good at, so she should be able to get to the Freestyle performance without any trouble. Excitedly, she looked on as the first group of performers were called up to the stage.

Fascinated, she watched as the performers dressed their Pokémon up, then presented them to the audience. The audience then voted, and the winner was chosen out of the three. Then another group was chosen, and the process was repeated. Each time, Serena took note of the performers and the way they dressed up their Pokémon.

Finally, she heard her name being called up.

"Will Performer Serena please come to the stage?"

Taking this as her cue, the excited performer got up and looked at her Pokémon.

"Okay, Fennekin, I think this part is best for you. Shinx, why don't you return until the freestyle performance?"

Fennekin barked in agreement, while Shinx just shrugged. Satisfied, Serena returned the flash Pokémon and turned to her starter, who bounced down onto the floor next to her. Then, the two made their way towards the stage.

* * *

"So then Ash suggested that I travel with them," said Korrina, "and I've been with them since then."

"Lucario."

"Yeah, that's right," said Ash. "And so far, I think Korrina's been a lot of fun to hang out with!"

"Pikachu!"

"That's interesting," said Grant. "So you're still trying to do that crazy win streak to prove that you and Lucario can handle Mega Evolution?"

"It's not crazy!" said Korrina. "It important for me and Lucario to battle together so that we can achieve Mega Evolution together!"

"Well, I think it would be really cool to have such a great win streak!" said Ash.

"Of course," said Grant. "So, I'm guessing that your grandfather did the same thing when he was your age?"

Korrina opened her mouth to speak, then quickly closed it. She then looked at Lucario, who just gave her a shrug.

"Well, I mean, I'm sure he did something like that."

"Uh huh," said Grant as he crossed his arms. "And what about your mother?"

At this, Korrina's eyes went wide.

"I'm not even going to go there," Korrina said, her voice now carrying the slightest tone of uneasiness.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure your mom didn't do any of those crazy challenges," said Grant. "And it seems to have worked out pretty well for her, given that she's-"

"I get it! I get it!"

The rest of the group stopped and stared at Korrina, who was now staring downwards.

"Sorry," she said quietly. "It's just… I'd rather not talk about my mom."

For a moment, nobody spoke. The others looked at each other, while Korrina continued to look down. Lucario just sighed, and put his paw on his master's shoulder.

"Hey, Korrina?" Brock asked finally. "I know you don't want to talk about your mom, but are you really never going to talk about it?"

Korrina looked around, trying to find some way to get out of having to explain just what kind of person her mother was.

Fortunately, at that moment, the announcer spoke Serena's name.

"Finally!" said Ash. "It's Serena's turn!"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Korrina turned her attention to the stage.

* * *

Serena and Fennekin walked into their prep area, ready to dazzle the audience with their fashion sense. As they took in the materials available, Serena quickly came up with the perfect fashion choice.

"Zhese three performers shall have 10 minutes to create zheir designs. Starting… now!"

With that, a holographic hourglass appeared over the stage. As quickly as she could, Serena grabbed the items she needed, then got to work on designing Fennekin's outfit. With her keen sense of fashion, she could tell exactly which pieces would go with what, and how to make it all come together.

"And now for zhe secret final touches!"

As her prep area was covered up, Serena put on the last few pieces onto Fennekin. Finally satisfied that it was ready, Serena smiled as she took a step back.

"Perfect!" she said happily. "We're going to win this one for sure, Fennekin!"

"Fenn! Fennekin!"

The two grinned as the hourglass ran out and dissolved.

"Time's up!" said Pierre. "Now it's time for our lovely ladies to present their creations!"

The prep areas were then uncovered, revealing each of the performers and their Pokémon. While the others two were clearly very good, Serena felt that neither of them could match her and Fennekin; she was dressed up with a lovely red and pink dress with a white rim, along with black stockings and a black choker necklace, while Fennekin was wearing a little white and pink hat, along with a pink bowtie with several ribbons pointing out from it.

" _C'est magnifique!_ " said Pierre. "Now let us see what zhe audience thinks of zhese designs!"

The first performer, a girl with red hair, strode onto the runway with her partner, a Pokémon that greatly resembled Fennekin. The crowd cheered at the sight, and even Serena had to admit that she was pretty good.

 _But not as good as us!_ Serena thought to herself as she and Fennekin got ready. As the first girl's turn ended and the second girl showed off her Pokémon, she could feel herself become more confident.

"And now Performer Serena!"

Serena and Fennekin looked at each other and then smiled. They then strode onto the runway, waving as they let the audience take in their hard work. For a moment, everything was perfect; Serena and Fennekin were walking together with their wonderfully crafted costumes.

Then disaster struck.

One of Fennekin's ribbons was placed a bit too close to her nose, and began to scratch against it. Fennekin sniffled a bit, then tried to move the ribbon away. However, she was not able to do so, and only succeeded in causing her nose to become more irritated.

Then she sneezed.

A large number of embers blew out of Fennekin's nose and mouth as she sneezed. Unfortunately, these ended up all over her costume, causing it to light on fire.

"Fennekin!" Serena said as her eyes went wide.

"Feeeeenn!" Fennekin said in panic. She then began to run around in circles, trying desperately to put out the flames. However, this only succeeded in making the flames bigger.

"No, Fennekin! You have to roll around!"

Fennekin stopped running and dropped onto the floor. She then rolled around to try to extinguish the flames. It worked, and after a few seconds the flames were gone.

"Fennekin!" Serena said as she got down on her knees. "Are you okay?"

"Fenn!"

The honey blonde haired performer sighed in relief as she hugged her starter. She'd been worried that Fennekin had been injured, but to her relief she was fine.

As her eyes fell onto Fennekin's clothing, however, a sense of dread fell over her.

The outfit she and Fennekin has so perfectly chosen was ruined.

Shocked and terrified, the two got back up and slowly walked back to the stage. They were barely aware of the audience casting their votes, but as they looked up, it quickly became clear that they were receiving fewer votes than either of the other performers.

" _Et voila!_ " Pierre announced. "Zhe performer who will be advancing towards the Freestyle performance is… Performer Aria!"

Serena could feel her heart sink at the announcement. All the hard work that she and her Pokémon had put in to the performance has been for nothing. Her head fell as the platform began to descend.

"Fenn…" Fennekin said as she looked downwards in shame.

"It's not your fault, Fennekin," Serena said, trying her best to smile. "If I didn't put that ribbon so close to your nose, then we wouldn't have had that accident."

She then felt a hand on her shoulder. Surprised, she looked up to see the winning performer, Aria.

"Hey, chin up. I'm sure you won't have any trouble next time!"

"Yeah," Serena replied, though her voice sounded hollow. "Thanks."

Nodding, Aria walked away as the platform reached the floor. Wordlessly, Serena returned Fennekin to her Pokeball, then began to walk off. Instead of going backstage, however, she made her way to the nearest exit. Once she had walked out, she began to run. She didn't even know where she was running, but just wanted to get away from the hall.

* * *

Ash was shocked.

In the blink of an eye, Serena's performance had gone horribly wrong. And now she would not even get to the Freestyle performance.

Quietly, he turned to Pikachu, who seemed just as shocked as him.

"Serena… lost?"

"Pikachu…"

"I can't believe it!" Korrina said in shock. "And she was doing so well!"

"Yeah, but no matter how well she was doing, things can always go wrong," said Brock.

"So sad," said Alicia. "But even the best performer can't be ready for everything."

"Still, it wasn't bad by any means," said Grant. "If it hadn't all gone wrong, I'm pretty sure she would have moved on."

"Yeah," said Rotom, "Although I think she could have prevented that accident if she'd made the ribbons roughly 37% shorter, as well as held them at a slightly lower angle-"

Ash shoved Rotom back into his pocket. He then sat in his seat for a moment, shocked by Serena's loss. After a moment, however, he got up out of his seat.

"I'm going to go look for her."

He then walked off towards the backstage. It took him about a minute to get there, after which he started to look for Serena.

"Serena? Where are you?"

To his surprise, there was no reply.

"Serena? Where are you?"

"You're looking for Serena?"

Ash turned to see a red-haired performer looking at him.

"Yeah," he said worriedly. "Have you seen her?"

"Well, I saw her after her performance, but after that I don't know what happened to her."

A sense of dread creeped into Ash.

"Thanks," he said quickly, before he made his way out of the room. He then rushed back to his friends.

"Serena didn't go back after her performance!"

"What?!" Brock said as he got out of his seat.

"She must have taken that loss pretty badly," said Alicia. "Especially given how it went!"

"We have to find her!" said Korrina.

"Lucario!"

"Right!" said Ash. And with that, the group headed out of the hall.

"I think we should spit up," said Brock. "We'll be able to cover more ground that way."

"Right!" Ash said as he rushed off. He didn't even wait for the others. All he cared about was finding Serena.

* * *

Now Ash stood with Serena, comforting her as she sobbed.

"I was horrible!" Serena cried. "I thought I would do at least okay, but I messed up and it all went wrong!"

Ash tried as hard as he could to find something to say to her. But what could he tell her to make her feel better about her loss?

As he thought, his mind wandered back to his first Gym battle.

"You know, my first Gym battle wasn't too good either. You know that I tried to use Pikachu against Brock's Onix? And of course, Onix was a rock and ground type Pokémon, and all Pikachu knew at the time was Thunder Shock, and so we were pretty much screwed. After that, we started doing some intense training, and so we tried to battle him again. Even then we would have lost if it weren't for the fact that Pikachu accidentally triggered the Gym's sprinkler system, which was really bad for Onix due to his water weakness. Still, that didn't really feel like I'd really won, so in the end I forfeited. Brock still gave me the badge, though it honestly feels like it was more done out of pity than because I actually deserved it."

He stopped for a minute, and noted that Serena was no longer crying. Smiling, he decided to continue.

"My point is, even if your first performance was a disaster, that doesn't mean that all your future performances will be terrible. For all we know, the next time will be really great. And the one after that will be even better. And before you know it, you're going to be the Kalos Queen!"

Ash broke out of the hug and gave Serena a cheeky smile. And to his delight, she was now smiling as well.

"Thanks, Ack. And you're right. I'll just use this as a chance to learn and move forward!"

"That's the spirit!" said Ash. "Now I know you're going to become the very best, like no one ever was!"

Serena giggled. "Seriously? That sounds like something from a kid's show.

Ash pouted. "Well, it sounded great in my head."

"Aww, so cute!"

The two jumped a bit in surprise. They then turned around and saw Alicia smiling at them.

"Man, Serena. You're lucky your boyfriend is here to support you when things go wrong!"

Ash and Serena both blushed intensely.

"We're not a couple!" they said together, causing Alicia and Pikachu to chuckle.

"Right," said Alicia. "Well, sorry to disappoint you, but you two are pretty much perfect for each other."

Neither of the two answered to that, but simply looked down in embarrassment. Alicia chuckled a bit, then looked directly at Serena.

"In all seriousness, though, you shouldn't let this loss hit you too hard, Serena. Everyone loses sometimes. That's an important step everyone has to take to become a star. But that just gives you a chance to learn and grow up! It's an important chapter in your story!"

She then struck a dramatically somber pose.

" _I won't give up! The first tears fall..._ "

She then broke out of it and smiled.

"I mean, that's what I would call it. But yeah, you need to keep your chin up. Learn from this loss, and make your next showcase a great one!"

Serena smiled and pumped her fist.

"You're right! I'll definitely do my best from here on out!"

She then grabbed her Pokeballs and let her Pokémon out. She then looked at both Fennekin and Shinx, the former still in the remains of her ruined clothing.

"Hey guys," she said with a smile. I know our showcase didn't go so well, but that just means we're going to give the next one everything we've got!"

Fennekin barked happily, determined to win the next time. Shinx gave her a small smile, disappointed that he hadn't been able to show off properly the first time, but also ready to win the next time.

"Right! We'll show them next time!"

"That's the spirit!" said Alicia. "I know you'll do amazing next time!"

She then stopped as she heard a noise coming out of her pocket. She then pulled out her Holo Caster and took a look at her notifications.

"Well," she said, "it was nice meeting you, but I have to go."

"You do?" Serena said, somewhat disappointed.

"Yeah," Alicia said as she put the device away. "Something important just came up, and I need to attend to it."

She smiled as she looked at Serena.

"I'll totally be looking out for you! I know you're going to be big!"

"Thanks!" said Serena. "I'll do my best to not let you down!"

"I know you will!" Alicia said as she rushed off. "Good luck with your next performer!"

Serena and Ash waved as the green haired girl left. After she was no longer visible, the two turned to look at each other.

"So, I guess we should go back and find the others now?" said Ash.

"Well, maybe not yet?" said Serena. "I think I still need some time to collect my thoughts."

Ash blinked in surprise, but then smiled.

"Of course. We can just hang out together for a while. Maybe we can visit some shops or have some food?"

Serena's eyes went wide.

"You mean… like a date?"

"No!" Ash said quickly as his face went red. "I just meant like two friends hanging out together! That's all!"

The two trainers stared at each other for a moment, their faces as red as Tamato berries. Meanwhile, Pikachu and Fennekin were holding back their laughter, while Shinx was just rolling his eyes.

Finally, Serena responded.

"Sure, Ack. I'd love to just hang out for a while."

Ash smiled. "Great!"

Pikachu and Fennekin giggled, while Shinx just shrugged.

* * *

"Well, that was interesting," Lisia said as the limousine drove towards her next scheduled event. "I can definitely say that she is going to go far. Possibly even far enough to go against me!"

Her agent looked at her in confusion, causing her to shrug.

"Don't worry, dude. It's just me talking to myself. Nothing you need to worry about."

She then pulled out a Pokeball out of her bag, taking a good look at it as she thought about what she'd seen in the beginning performer she'd scouted.

"Still, she might need some guidance to get that far. I think we should keep an eye out for her. Don't you think so, Ali?"

While she couldn't hear her partner's response, the green haired performer knew exactly what Ali would be saying.

"My thoughts exactly, buddy."

* * *

Ash and Serena had explored several stores across town on their totally-not-a-date, even though they didn't buy anything. They did, however, go to a restaurant that served Casteliacones, a popular frozen treat from the Unova region. Ash and Serena had both gotten one, and they had eaten through most of their cones, leaving just a bit for their starters.

"So, we're getting close to the Pokémon Center," said Ash. "Are you ready to go back?"

"Almost," said Serena as her eyes fell on one particular store. "I was actually thinking about one more thing."

Ash looked in the direction that Serena was looking. To his surprise, he saw that it was a clothing shop.

"Clothes?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Serena. "I feel like I need something new to represent the fact that I just took my first step towards achieving my dream of being the Kalos Queen!"

"Well, I like that idea," said Ash. "Let's go in!"

"Pika!"

The two trainers smiled at each other as they walked into the store. Immediately, they gasped in awe as they looked around, taking in all the available options.

"Wow," said Ash. "Do you think you'll be able to find anything good?"

"Oh, I know I will," said Serena. "Come on!"

Ash smiled as he followed the enthusiastic girl through the shop. She looked all around, looking at various styles, colors, and fits. None of them seemed to satisfy Serena, however.

"No," she said as she passed another outfit. "That one won't do either."

"Ugh," said Ash. "Isn't there anything that you like?"

"Pikaaa…" Pikachu said in exhaustion.

"Sorry Ash," Serena said with a sympathetic smile. "I just really want something good, and it's hard to find what I'm looking for."

Ash sighed, then looked around. He wasn't an expert on fashion like Serena, but he felt that he should at least help her find what she was looking for. Unfortunately, it still seemed like that would be of little use.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something interesting.

"Hey, Serena?"

The honey blonde haired girl turned his way.

"What is it?"

Ash pointed at one particular outfit.

"What do you think about this?"

Serena took a look at the outfit that was set on display.

"Well, it's… not bad," she said. "Maybe a bit tomboyish?"

"Yeah, but it has a dress," said Ash.

"I'm not sure that would qualify as a dress," said Serena.

"Well, I'm not a fashion expert," Ash admitted. "But it reminded me of you.

Serena blinked. "Really? And why is that?"

"Well," Ash said as he pointed out one particular feature of the outfit, "I think it's the hat."

Serena looked up, and immediately noticed what Ash was talking about.

"Oh…"

She then smiled.

"Yeah, I think I get it now."

* * *

Brock, Korrina, Lucario, and Grant paced around the Pokémon Center worriedly. They hadn't heard from Serena or Ash for several hours, and they were starting to worry.

"Where could she be?" Korrina asked. "She should have gotten back by now!"

"Lucario! Lucar!"

"Well, maybe she's just getting held up?" said Grant. "I mean, Ash hasn't shown up either, so maybe he found her."

"I hope so," said Brock. "She looked like she took her loss very badly."

"But that's not going to stop me!"

The group looked up in surprise at the sound of the voice. To their relief, it was none other than Serena and Ash. However, what really surprised them was what she was wearing.

"Ta-da! What do you think?"

Serena was wearing a black turtleneck shirt, dark blue jeans, and bright purple boots. In addition, she was wearing a long yellow vest over these, and she had tied her hair back into a ponytail. Most notable, however, was her new straw hat, which had two feathers, one black and one purple, pointing out of it.

"So, I thought I would get something new to show that I've taken my first step towards achieving the rank of Kalos Queen," she explained. "It took some looking around, but Ash actually found this one."

"I like it!" said Brock.

"Me too!" said Korrina. "It looks great!"

"Car-Lucario!"

Serena smiled. True, her first showcase had gone horribly wrong, but she knew that she would do her best to make the next one the best it could be.

"So," she said, deciding to change the subject, "you're going to have your next Gym battle tomorrow, right Ash?"

Ash grinned and pumped his fist.

"Yeah! And I'm going to win my second badge!"

"Pikachu!"

"Well, you're going to have to wait and see what happens tomorrow," said Grant. "Still, I'm looking forward to seeing you in my Gym tomorrow."

"Oh, you're on!" Ash said enthusiastically. "And we're going to win!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

The group laughed together. True, Serena's showcase didn't go as planned, but she had gotten over it and was now looking forward to the next one. And of course, Ash was always ready for his next Gym battle. And everyone was excited to see what that would bring.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Well, I somehow got this chapter a lot sooner than I thought I would. Doubly surprising given how much happened in it. Ah well, I'm not complaining._**

 ** _Anyway, Serena's showcase debut! I wanted it to mirror her first showcase in canon, but also to differentiate it a bit. So while the circumstances are different, the end result is the same, including her getting a new outfit._**

 ** _Speaking of Serena's outfits, while I will probably give her her second anime outfit at some point, I wanted to experiment with her clothing a bit before doing so. Plus I didn't want to have her cut her hair just yet, and I've never seen her depicted with this particular outfit before, even though I feel it would make a lot of sense._**

 ** _Also, I feel that it would be appropriate for Brock and Grant to develop a bromance. I feel that Grant would probably be more successful that Brock at getting girls, though, because the universe loves to poke fun at Brock._**

 ** _Next time, the long awaited battle between Ash and Grant!_**


	34. Second Kalos Gym Battle! Ash VS Grant!

"Hmm," Serena said as she took a look at herself in the mirror. She couldn't help but take in every detail of her new outfit. True, it's not what she would have chosen, but Ash had liked it, and that had been enough to seal the deal for her. And even then, it was certainly a very nice outfit.

Her gaze then fell on the straw hat. She remembered how she'd had a similar straw hat when she'd met Ash at Professor Oak's summer camp all those years ago. Indeed, since she'd been too shy to introduce herself to anyone, (except Ash, or course,) the other kids had often referred to her as "the girl with the straw hat." She supposed it was true, but it was sort of a silly nickname.

She then remembered that Ash still had her old straw hat. She wondered if he still used it.

Back to her new hat. It was a bit larger than her old one, and it also happened to have two rather nice feathers poking out of the top. She didn't know what Pokemon they were from, but they did make an appealing addition to her hat, even if they did seem to make for a slightly more outdoorsy feel.

Of course, her whole outfit seemed a bit more outdoorsy. The purple boots, the blue jeans, black turtleneck, and yellow vest probably be more suited to long periods of traveling on foot than her previous outfit had been, even if they were very different from what she'd normally wear. She remembered that she'd even described it as "tomboyish," although the vest might be able to pass as a dress, given how it reached down to just above her knees.

Idly, Serena wondered whether she'd be confused for a boy if she had shorter hair.

"I wonder," she said as she looked back at her hat.

Then, an idea popped into her head. She removed her hat, then grabbed her ponytail. She then wrapped it up and pushed it against the back of her head, making it easy to conceal. Finally, she put her hat back on.

"Huh," she said in as she got a look at herself. "That's different."

She kept looking at herself in the mirror for a moment, considering whether she could fool anyone into thinking that she was a boy.

Then Ash walked in.

"Hey, Serena? Brock and Korrina are ready to go, so if you're ready…"

For a moment, Ash stared at Serena, who looked back at him in a combination of dread and embarrassment.

"Should I be asking?" Ash asked, unsure of whether he should even be there.

"Oh, hey Ack," Serena said as her face glowed red. "I… was curious about… how far I could change my style?"

"Oh," said Ash, as a smile crept onto his face. "Well, I like it!"

"You do?" Serena said as she began to smile as well.

"Yeah," said Ash. "I mean, I guess I see what you meant when you said those clothes look a bit tomboyish, but it's fun for experimenting!"

Serena and Ash both laughed together.

"Well, that was fun," the honey-blonde haired girl said as she took of her hat. "But I probably won't be doing that too often."

"Yeah," said Ash. "And who knows? Maybe it will come in handy some time."

"I doubt it," Serena said as she let her hair fall back out. "But you never know."

"True," said Ash. "Now why don't we get going? I'm ready to get my second badge!"

Serena grinned. "I'm so ready to watch that!"

* * *

The Cyllage City Gym was built into the side of a cliff, which made its location a bit less obvious than most gyms. Fortunately for the group, Rotom was able to find it rather easily.

"And thanks to my amazing navigational systems, we have arrived at our destination without any trouble! Just in time for Grant to beat your whole team!"

"Not going to happen," Ash said as he shoved Rotom back into his pocket. He then looked at the entrance.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu said excitedly.

"I know, buddy," Ash said with a grin on his face. "We're finally going to win our second Kalos Gym Badge!"

"You can do it, Ash!" Serena said excitedly. "I know you can!"

"You'll be great!" said Brock.

"Give it everything you've got!" Korrina added.

"Lucario!"

Filled with determination, Ash walked into the Gym. Immediately, he was amazed to see many different colorful rocks sticking all over the walls.

"Wow," said Korrina, "it's like a giant rock climbing wall."

"That's exactly right!"

Ash and his friends looked upwards to see Grant standing at the top of the wall.

"I like to give challengers something to do before battle," Grant explained. "And I think rock climbing fits in with my type."

"That's so cool!" said Brock. "I should do something like that for my Gym!"

"That would be nice," said Grant. "I look forward to seeing that!"

"So, does that mean I have to climb the wall before the battle?" Ash asked hesitantly as he looked at the wall.

"I would prefer it," said Grant, "but there's also an elevator."

For a moment, Ash considered Grant's words. It would definitely be easier to just take the elevator, for sure. But then again, there was a certain appeal in making his way up the wall.

Finally, Ash reached up and grabbed one of the rocks. He then pulled his foot up onto another rock. He then did the same with his other hand and foot and began to climb. Pikachu then did the same, climbing alongside his trainer.

"I think I'll take the elevator, if that's okay with you," Serena said as she walked away. The rest of the group followed her, leaving Ash and Pikachu to climb by themselves.

"We can do it," Ash said as he continued to climb. "Right, buddy?"

"Pikapi!"

With a smile on his face, Ash pushed forward. The climb was getting harder, and the effort of pulling himself up was leaving the raven haired trainer feeling tired out, but he refused to give up. Finally, after a few minutes of climbing, Ash and Pikachu reached the top.

"Ash!" a voice called, making the two turn around. There, they saw Ash's friends waving at him. Serena had even let Fennekin out of her pokeball to cheer for Ash as well.

"Go get that badge, Ash!" said Korrina.

"Lucario! Lu!"

"You can do it!" said Serena.

"Fennekin!"

"Good luck, Ash!" said Brock.

Ash and Pikachu smiled at the encouragement, then turned towards the battlefield to see Grant walking towards them.

"Well done," Grant said. "How did it feel walking up that wall?"

"It was tiring," Ash replied. "But I just focused on climbing higher, and before I knew it I had reached the top!"

"Good," Grant said with a smile. "I hope you'll keep that same focus as you climb towards victory in battle."

"You bet I will!" Ash said with a determined grin.

"Pikapika!"

The brown haired gym leader nodded as he smiled in satisfaction.

"So, tell me Ash," Grant said as he as he stretched out his hand. "How many Pokemon do you have?"

"Well, I have six right now," Ash replied as he shook Grant's hand. "Plus an egg, though I guess that's not really suitable for battle."

"Indeed not," said Grant. "Although it will be interesting to see what it grows into."

He then scratched his chin thoughtfully. After a moment, he smiled.

"Very well. You may use all of them."

Ash blinked.

"All six?" he repeated. "What about you?"

"I'll be using three," said Grant. "But don't think it will be easy."

Ash turned to Pikachu, who seemed to be just as confused as him. He then shrugged, then turned back to Grant with a smile.

"Alright, Grant, if that's how you want it, then we're coming for you!"

Grant smiled, then walked down to his side of the battlefield. Ash and Pikachu waked to their side as well. Meanwhile, Ash's friends watched on excitedly.

"Amazing! Serena said as she help Fennekin in her arms. "Ash is finally going to get his second Kalos badge!"

"Fenn! Fennekin!"

"Yeah," said Brock. "And we're going to see some awesome Rock-type Pokemon Battling!"

"Lucario!"

"It's strange, though," said Korrina. "Why did Grant tell Ash to use all six of his Pokemon when he's only using three?"

Brock and Serena both turned towards Korrina in surprise.

"Oh wow," said Serena. "I hadn't thought about that. But shouldn't that just make it easier for Ash to win the badge?"

"Maybe that's the whole point," said Brock. "Maybe he's so confident in the ability of his Pokemon that he feels like he can win with just three Pokemon!"

Now slightly more nervous, they turned back to the battlefield, where both battlers were now sending out their first Pokemon.

"Froakie! I choose you!"

"Onix! Come on out!"

Two bursts of light shone across the stadium, revealing the two battlers. On one side, a little blue frog with a determined look. On the other, an enormous serpent of rock who seemed ready to crush the challenger.

"This is a battle between Ash the challenger, and Grant the Gym Leader. The challenger may use all of his available Pokemon, while Grant shall only use three. Only the challenger may make substitutions, and the battle shall be over when one side has no Pokemon left. Begin now!"

Both trainers immediately called out their first attack.

"Slam!"

"Water Pulse!"

Onix lunged at Froakie, attempting to crush the bubble frog Pokemon. However, Froakie was just a little too fast, and dodged the attack before countering with a watery ball. Onix cried out in pain, but quickly got back up.

"We won't give up so easily!" said Grant. "Onix! Flash Cannon!"

A ball of light formed in Onix's maw. He then fired off a blinding beam at Froakie who managed to dodge it. The little amphibian then flung out another Water Pulse, which hit Onix once more.

"Froakie's doing great!" said Serena. "Since water types have such a big advantage over rock types like Onix it won't be able to last much longer!"

"Don't get too excited," said Brock. "Grant's bound to have some tricks up his sleeve. Especially if he's letting Ash use all six of his Pokemon!"

As if on cue, Grant called out his next command.

"Rock Tomb!"

Onix flung out a barrage of rocks, which flew towards Froakie faster than he could dodge. The bubble frog Pokémon was taken by surprise as he was surrounded on all sides by rocks.

"Froakie!" Ash cried in shock. "Get out of there!"

"Don't let it!" said Grant. Flash Cannon!"

Froakie tried to squeeze out of its rocky trap, but was unable to escape. Meanwhile, Onix charged up a ball of light, then fired his attack at Froakie.

"No! Froakie!"

The rocks exploded in a burst of light, launching Froakie out. The little amphibian cried out as he landed next to Ash.

"Froakie!" Ash said worriedly. Are you okay?"

Froakie groaned as he slowly got to his feet. The attack had clearly done some serious damage, as Froakie was covered in bruises and panting for breath. However, he still looked determined to win.

"Froakie!" said Ash. "Can you still battle?"

"Froak!" Froakie said as he pumped his fist.

"Alright," said Ash, "Then let's do this!"

Grant smiled as he watched the two. "I'm impressed that your Froakie is still standing. Most Pokemon get knocked out as soon as they're hit by Onix's Rock Tomb and Flash Cannon combo. Still, it's clear that he won't be able to withstand another hit like that one."

"Well then," said Ash, "I'll just have to make sure he doesn't get hit!"

"Very well," said Grant, "try to dodge this! Slam!"

"Dodge it!"

Onix flung itself forwards, attempting to squish his opponent. However, Froakie managed to get out of the way just in time.

"Now use your frubbles to stop Onix!"

"What?!"

Froakie reached into his collar and pulled out two blobs of sticky bubbles. He then flung them at Onix, where they immediately stuck him to the ground.

"Onix!" Grant said in alarm. "Can you move?"

Onix growled as he struggled to move. Unfortunately for him, the frubbles were too sticky to escape, and he was now stuck in place.

"Perfect!" said Ash. "Now go up to it and use Water Pulse!"

"Don't let it!" said Grant. "Rock Tomb!"

Onix roared as he unleashed another volley of rocks. However, this time he could no longer aim properly due to the frubbles holding him back, so Froakie was able to jump out of the path of every single rock.

"Awesome!" said Ash. "Now use those rocks to jump up and fire your Water Pulse!"

"What?!"

Froakie bounced up and landed on one of the rocks that had landed around him. He then leaped into the air, soaring over the battlefield. As he got higher, he formed a sphere of water in his hands, until he was almost face-to-face with Onix.

"Fire!"

"Froakie!" the bubble frog Pokemon cried as he launched the Water Pulse right towards Onix's face. The rock snake Pokemon had just enough time for his eyes to widen before it was hit. The attack sent him reeling backwards with enough force to yank away the frubbles holding him in place.

"Onix!" Grant cried as his Pokemon fell to the floor, clearly unconscious.

"Onix is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Froakie is the winner!"

"Yeah!" Ash cheered. "I knew you could do it, Froakie!"

"Froakie, Froak!" the bubble frog Pokemon cried cheerfully.

"Yeah!" Serena cheered. "Ash and Froakie did it!"

"Fenn, Fennekin!"

"Yeah, he did," said Brock. "Still, that Onix put up quite a fight, even with a type disadvantage. I'm willing to bet that whatever Grant has in store next will be a lot tougher!"

"Don't let your guard down, Ash!" Korrina called. "He's got a lot more for you to battle!"

"Lu-Lucario!"

Back on the field, Grant chuckled as he returned his Onix.

"Not bad, Ash. A lot of trainers have trouble with Onix, but you clearly know how to use the tying of your Pokemon to your advantage.

On the sidelines, Brock did his best to hide a snicker.

"But you still have two more Pokemon to defeat before you get the badge," Grant continued as he grabbed another Pokeball. "So let's see how you deal with this!"

Grant tossed the Pokeball onto the field, where it opened to reveal a Tyrunt.

"Tyrunt!"

"Oh wow," Brock said excitedly. "He's got a Tyrunt!"

"Just like yours, huh?" said Korrina.

"This is going to be so awesome!" said Brock.

On the field, Froakie and Tyrunt were staring each other down, both determined to emerge victorious.

"Can you still battle, Froakie?" Ash asked.

"Froakie, Froak!" the little amphibian said with a nod. Even so, he seemed to be a bit more damaged than most Pokemon would want to be.

"Okay then!" said Ash. "Then keep it up!"

Both trainers looked at each other and nodded. Then, they gave their commands.

"Water Pulse!"

"Headbutt!"

Froakie launched another watery bubble, which hit Tyrunt head on. However, the little theropod shrugged off the attack and rammed his head right into Froakie, knocking him backwards.

"Watch out, Froakie!" Ash called. "Use Water Pulse again!"

"Don't let it!" said Grant. "Thunder Fang!"

"What?!" said Ash as he realized what Grant was planning. He tried to call out to Froakie, but was too late; Tyrunt lunged forwards with electrified jaws and clamped them down on the hapless water-type.

"Froooakieee!" Froakie cried in pain. He wiggled desperately, trying to escape the super effective attack, but Tyrunt's jaws refused to yield. Finally, he went limp, and the royal heir Pokemon let his defeated opponent fall to the floor.

"Froakie!" Ash cried. "No!"

"Froakie is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Tyrunt is the winner!"

Ash sighed as he returned froakie to his ball. Back on the sidelines, his friends watched worriedly.

"I can't believe it!" said Serena. "Froakie was beaten so easily!"

"Well, he did take a lot of damage beating Onix," said Brock. "Not to mention that super effective Thunder Fang. That really did a lot of damage. Plus, Tyrunt's part dragon type, which helped reduce the damage from that Water Pulse.

"Still, Ash has five more Pokemon he can use," Korrina pointed out. "He'll be just fine!"

"Lucar-car!"

Back on the field, Ash was trying to decide which Pokemon to send out next. After a moment he took one of his Pokeballs.

"Okay! Let's fight a rock type Pokemon with another rock type! Larvitar! I choose you!"

With a burst of light, the rock skin Pokemon jumped out onto the battlefield, ready to win another badge.

"Tar! Larvitar!"

"Okay, Larvitar!" Ash called. "Let's win this one!"

"Larvitar!"

Grant smiled as he saw Larvitar. Another rock type. It would certainly make for an interesting fight.

"Very well. Tyrunt! Headbutt!"

"Use Dig to dodge it!"

Tyrunt thrust its head forwards towards Larvitar. However, the little green Pokemon was able to dig into the ground and get out of the way.

"Watch out!" Grant warned. "Larvitar could come out at any time!"

Tyrunt stopped and looked around He then closed his eyes and felt the ground beneath him, trying to find where Larvitar would pop out.

"Tyrunt! Look out!"

"Tyyy!" Tyrunt cried as he jumped away less than a second before Larvitar popped out of the ground.

"Right!" said Grant. "Now use Ice Fang!"

"Hidden Power!"

Tyrunt's jaws became coated in ice as they clamped around Larvitar. The rock skin Pokemon cried out in pain, but managed to his his opponent in the face with his own attack. Taken by surprise, Tyrunt was unable to keep hold of Larvitar and was forced to release him.

"Thunder Fang and Ice Fang?" said Serena. "Those are pretty unusual for a rock type."

"It makes sense, though," said Brock. "They both help with types that can usually deal pretty well with rock types, namely grass, ground, and water types. Grant clearly has a plan to cover his team's weaknesses."

"Yeah, he does," said Korrina. "I should probably learn to do the same so I can be ready when I become the Leader of Shalour City."

Meanwhile, Larvitar had burrowed back underground, and Tyrunt was once again trying to figure out where his opponent was going to emerge.

"So, you you really think Larvitar will be able to take another Ice Fang?" asked Grant.

"Oh, I think he will," Ash said as a smile formed on his face. "I know Larvitar's small, but he's a tough little guy. And it's time for us to show you just how tough he really is!

At that moment, Larvitar burst out of the ground, and Ash gave his next command.

"Now Harden before he can bite you!"

"What?!"

Immediately, Larvitar's skin turned rock solid. Tyrunt still managed to bite him, but was barely able to deal any damage.

"Great!" said Ash. "Now use Rock Slide!"

Larvitar fired off a large number of rocks, which proceeded to bury Tyrunt. The little theropod was unable to hold his grip on Larvitar, who quickly escaped the attack.

"Now finish it with Hidden-"

"Not so fast! Draco Meteor!"

With a burst of energy, the rocks that had been covering Tyrunt were sent flying outwards, and a blinding ball of light was sent upwards. The ball then exploded into dozens of glowing meteorites, which fell back towards Larvitar.

"Look out!"

Ash's warning came a second too late; Larvitar was blasted by the force of the meteorites falling all around him. Dust and debris were sent up into the air as the attack rained down, until it finally stopped.

"Larvitar!" Ash yelled. "Are you okay?!"

"For a moment, there was silence as everyone waited for a response. As the dust settled, however, a crater soon became visible. And in the crater lay the unconscious form of Larvitar.

"Larvitar is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Tyrunt is the winner!"

Ash returned Larvitar to his Pokeball, the gave the ball a smile.

"Well done, Larvitar. You take a good rest now."

On the sidelines, Serena and the others were watching in shock.

"That was unbelievable!" said Serena. "What kind of attack was that?!"

"That was Draco Meteor!" said Korrina. "I've heard that it's the strongest dragon type attack of all!"

"Which shows just how well Grant has trained his Pokemon," said Brock. "I think Ash is definitely going to need his whole team for this battle!"

Back on the field, Ash and Grant were talking as Ash chose his next Pokemon.

"You know," said Grant, "I wasn't aware that Larvitar was capable of learning Harden."

"Well, my Pokemon are full of surprises," said Ash.

"Well, you certainly caught me off guard," said Grant. "You came pretty close to knocking Tyrunt out there!"

"Right," said Ash as he grabbed one of his Pokeballs. "Well I think my next Pokemon is definitely going to win!"

He then tossed out the ball.

"Riolu! I choose you!"

The ball burst open, revealing the little blue canid. He barked out as he caught sight of his opponent and took a fighting stance.

"Ah, a Riolu," said Grant. "A great choice for a rock type gym. But can it stand up to my Tyrunt?"

"Of course he can!" Ash said as he pumped a fist. "Right Riolu?"

"Olu, Lu!" Riolu said as he pumped his own fist in an imitation of his trainer.

Grant smiled. "Very well, then. Let's see what you've got!"

"Okay!" said Ash. "Use Force Palm, Riolu!"

"Use headbutt!"

Riolu rushed towards Tyrunt with a glowing paw. At the same time, Tyrunt charged with his head forward. Finally both attacks connected, and both Pokemon were sent backwards a few feet.

"Not bad," said Grant, "But we can still fight! Tyrunt, Ice Fang!"

"Block it with Blaze Kick!"

Tyrunt's jaws became encased in ice, and it rushed forwards to attack Riolu. However, it was met by a blazing hot attack which struck it in the face, stunning it and melting the ice.

"Now use Force Palm!"

Riolu's paw glowed as it thrust forwards, hitting Tyrunt with great force. The royal heir Pokemon cried out as it was sent backwards, but managed to stay on its feet.

"Alright," said Grant, "it's all or nothing now! Draco Meteor!"

Tyrunt raised its jaws upwards, and a glowing ball of energy formed. It then sent it flying upwards, were it once more burst into dozens of meteorites. This time, however, Ash was ready.

"Riolu! Use Bullet Punch to send those rocks back to Tyrunt!"

"Riolu!" Riolu called as he pumped his arms, which let out a clicking sound. Then, with a mighty bang, he punched the first meteor right before it could hit him, sending it straight into Tyrunt.

"Tyyy!"

"No! Tyrunt!"

But Riolu wasn't done yet. With one bang after another, he hit every meteorite that came towards him, sending them flying towards his opponent. The royal heir Pokemon cried in paid each time he was his, unable to rest for even a second.

"Finish it!"

With the last meteorite gone, Riolu charged forwards and punched Tyrune with great force. The little brown theropod was knocked off his feet and into a wall, where he fell to the floor, knocked out.

"Tyrunt!" said Grant.

"Tyrunt is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Riolu is the winner!"

"Yeah!" Ash said as he pumped his fist. "You did it, Riolu!"

"Ri-Riolu!" RIolu said as he pumped his own fists, letting out a clicking sound as he did.

"That was so amazing!" said Korrina. "Riolu really is a great Pokemon!"

"Lu-Lucario!" Lucario said in agreement.

"And that means that Grant only has one Pokemon left!" said Serena. "He's so close to victory!"

"Fenn-Fenn!" Fennekin said excitedly.

"Yeah," said Brock, "He's definitely doing very well. But keep in mind that Tyrunt was strong enough to knock out two of Ash's Pokemon. And in my experience, Gym Leaders usually wait until the very end before they send out their strongest Pokemon."

Both girls turned to Brock in surprise.

"Wow," said Serena, "I hadn't thought about that."

"But that means that whatever Grant has left is going to be even stronger than Tyrunt!" said Korrina.

"Exactly," said Brock. "Maybe even strong enough to wipe out all of Ash's remaining Pokemon!"

Korrina, Serena, and their Pokemon stared at Brock for a moment. They then turned back to the field.

"Don't let your guard down, Ash!" said Serena. "It's about to get really hard!"

"Give it everything you've got!" said Korrina.

"Fenn-Fennekin!"

"Cario! Lucario!"

As Grant returned his Tyrunt, he looked out at Ash's friends.

"You know, you're lucky to have friends like that," he said with a smile. "They're always there to have your back when you need them the most, and they give you the strength to carry on to the end."

Ash blinked, then smiled.

"Yeah, I get it. "I have no idea what I'd do if I didn't have them with me."

"I couldn't agree more," Grant said as he held out his final Pokeball. "Now let's see if their support is enough for you to deal with this!"

Grant tossed his Pokeball forwards onto the battlefield, where it burst open with a brilliant flash. As the light died down, it revealed a large, winged Pokemon with razor sharp teeth.

"Say hello to my Aerodactyl!"

Aerodactyl roared as she took to the air, showing off her teeth and sending a shiver down the spines of both Ash and Riolu.

"Whoa," said Ash. "I haven't seen a real Aerodactyl since… well…"

He winced. That was not a memory he wanted to bring up in that moment.

"Okay! Can you still fight, Riolu?"

"Riolu!" the little doglike Pokemon said, giving Ash a thumbs up.

"Okay!" said Ash. "Then give it all you've got!"

Grant smiled as he gave his first command.

"Rock Slide!"

"Force Palm!"

Aerodactyl flung out a barrage of rocks at Riolu, who was just fast enough to get out of the way of them all. He then jumped upwards with a glowing paw and hit Aerodactyl in the face. The fossil Pokemon was sent backwards, but seemed more angry than hurt.

"Don't give up, Aerodactyl," said Grant. "Use Aerial Ace!"

"Block it with Bullet Punch!"

Aerodactyl lunged at Riolu with blazing speed. At the same time, the emanation Pokemon rushed forwards with his fists loaded. In a fraction of a second, both Pokemon collided, letting out a shockwave that nearly knocked their trainers off the ground.

"Whoa!" said Korrina. "Those are some crazy strong attacks!"

"Lucario!"

"Yeah!" said Serena. "Do you think Ash can win?"

Back on the field, Aerodactyl was once again launching a Rock Slide at Riolu. This time, though, Riolu was knocking all of the rocks away with a flurry of Bullet Punches, not being hit by a single one. Then, he rushed forwards and hit Aerodactyl, causing it to back away.

"I have to say," Grant said as the two fighters continued to brawl, "your Pokemon are all very well trained. They're all managed to last quite a bit against my team."

"Thanks," Ash said with a smile. "I like to keep my team in top shape so that we're always ready for anything!"

"Riolu!"

Grant nodded. "That's very smart. And you're definitely giving my team a run for their money."

Grant's expression then became serious.

"Which means that it's time for us to bring our A-game!"

Aerodactyl landed on the ground next to its trainer and spread out her wings. However, Ash's eyes were instead drawn to her left leg, which he now realized was surrounded by a bracelet of some sort. But more importantly, it was holding a familiar stone.

"Wait," said Ash as the realization hit him. "Is that…"

"Ah," said Grant, "I see that you're familiar with these stones. Not surprising, seeing how you're friends with one of Gurkinn's grandkids."

Grant then touched one of the stones attached to his hair. To Ash's shock, it began to glow, as did the one on Aerodactyl's leg.

"Aerodactyl! Take back the power of ancient times! Mega Evolve!"

The fossil Pokemon roared as her whole body was engulfed in orange light. Then, she began to grow, as well as become spikier.

"No way!" Serena said in amazement. "Grant has a Mega Evolving Pokemon too!"

"Fennekin!"

"This is so amazing!" Korrina said as a huge smile formed on her face. "I want Lucario to be able to Mega Evolve like that!"

"Cario! Lucario!"

"It's definitely impressive," said Brock. But it also means that Ash has a very powerful opponent to defeat!"

As the light died down, Aerodactyl's Mega Evolution was revealed. What was most striking about it was how spiky she now was; her horns were longer, as were the claws on her wings and legs. She also had a large number of spikes protruding from her back, tail, and even her chin. Most notably, all of the spikes seemed to be made of solid rock.

"Whoa…" said Ash, before he regained his composure. "Okay Riolu! She may be a lot stronger now, but we can still beat her!"

"Ri-Riolu!" Riolu said with a determined voice.

"Great!" said Ash. "Now use Force Palm!"

"Aerial Ace!"

Riolu attempted to attack his opponent. This time, however, Aerodactyl's attack was so fast that he had no warning; the rocky pterosaur slammed into him with enough force to send him flying upwards.

"Oluuu!"

The emanation Pokemon cried out in pain as he flew through the air Unfortunately for him, Grant was not done yet.

"Iron Head!"

Aerodactyl flew up above Riolu at blinding speed. She then thrust her hardened head into the little canid, sending him crashing back towards the ground.

"Riolu! No!"

"Rioluuu!"

With a mighty crack, Riolu hit the floor, lifting up a cloud of dust. When it cleared, it revealed the sight of an unconscious Riolu.

"Riolu is unable to battle!" The referee declared. "Aerodactyl is the winner!"

"I can't believe it!" Serena said as she watched Ash return Riolu. "Aerodactyl took out Riolu with barely any effort!"

"Kinn!"

"Yeah," said Korrina. "It just goes to show you how strong Mega Evolution makes Pokemon!"

"Lucario!"

"And now Ash has to win with his three remaining Pokemon," said Brock. "And two of them are at a serious disadvantage!"

On the field, Ash smiled as he looked down at Riolu's Pokeball.

"You did a great job, Riolu," he said with a smile. "Take a good rest, okay? You deserve it."

He then looked down at his other Pokeballs. While he knew that Pikachu had an advantage, he wasn't sure if it would be enough to turn the tide of the battle. Furthermore, if Aerodactyl managed to defeat Pikachu, then he'd have to face her with two Pokemon, both of whom were at a disadvantage.

With all of these considerations, he made his choice.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu said in a determined voice.

"I know Pikachu," said Ash as he grabbed a Pokeball. "But I can't send you out just yet. I need to make sure you have as much of a chance as possible!"

Ash then tossed out his Pokeball.

"Pidgeot! I choose you!"

With a burst of light, Ash's faithful flying type burst forwards. She let out a battle cry as she spread her wings, not letting herself be intimidated by the fierce rock type that flew before he.

"Pidgeot!" Ash called. "I know that Aerodactyl is a tough Pokemon, but you're tough too! So go out there and show them what you've got!

"Piiiidge!"

Back on the stands, Ash's friends were looking on worriedly.

"Why didn't Ash choose Pikachu?" said Korrina. Rock types have a big advantage over flying types, so Pidgeot won't stand a chance!"

"Maybe," said Serena, "but Pidgeot is really strong. And Ash has a lot of faith in her. Maybe she can actually win!"

"Whatever the case may be," said Brock, "this is still going to be quite a difficult battle!"

"Come on, Ash!" Serena yelled. "Come on Pidgeot! I know you can win this, so give it everything you've got!"

Ash smiled at Serena's encouragement, then gave his first command.

"Pidgeot! Hurricane!"

"Dodge it an use Rock Slide!"

Pidgeot flapped her wings and unleashed a maelstrom of wind at her opponent. However, Aerodactyl managed to dodge just in time, and flung out an avalanche of rocks at Pidgeot. The graceful bird was too fast, though, and also dodged.

"Iron Head!"

"Steel Wing!"

Aerodactyl charged at Pidgeot with an iron solid head while Pidgeot flapped her hardened wings. Both attacks collided with a metallic clang, forcing the two combatants to retreat.

"Don't give up!" yelled Grant. "Rock Slide!"

"Dodge it!"

Pidgeot squawked and flew off, with Aerodactyl in hot pursuit The fossil Pokemon flung out rocks as she chased her opponent, but Pidgeot managed to stay just out of reach.

"Steel Wing!"

Pidgeot flapped her wings with enough force to flip around. Now facing her opponent, she charged, wings glowing as they turned solid. Finally, she slammed her wings into Aerodactyl, forcing her to stop her attack.

"Now use Hurricane!"

"Stop it with Aerial Ace!"

Despite the super effective blow, Aerodactyl managed to recover amazingly fast. She then flew forwards and slammed into Pidgeot, preventing her from unleashing her attack.

"Now use Rock Slide!"

Aerodactyl roared as she fired another barrage of rocks. This time, Pidgeot had no warning, and was hit by the super effective attack.

"Piiidge!"

"Pidgeot! No!"

The bird Pokemon began to fall. Fortunately, she was able to open her wings just before she hit the floor.

"Pidgeot!" Ash said worriedly "Can you still fight?"

"Pidgeot!" Pidgeot said with determination, even though she had clearly taken a great deal of damage.

"Okay!" said Ash. "Use Steel Wing!"

"Block it with Aerial Ace!"

Pidgeot flew forwards with glowing wings, while Aerodactyl charged with her claws forwards. They collided in midair, and for a brief moment, the two flyers were locked in combat.

Then Ash made his move.

"Heat Wave!"

Pidgeot blasted out a gust of hot air, hitting the spiky pterosaur at point blank range. Aerodactyl cried out, but did not not disengage.

"Don't let Pidgeot win!" Grant called. "Rock Slide!"

Aerodactyl roared, then let out an avalanche right at Pidgeot's face. The bird Pokemon had just enough time for her eyes to widen before the rocks slammed her.

"Pidgeot!"

Pidgeot was forced downwards by the super effective attack. She landed with a loud crash on the floor, squawked weakly then lay silently.

"Pidgeot is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Aerodactyl is the winner!"

Aerodactyl gave out a triumphant cry as she landed next to her trainer and spread out her wings. But then, to the shock of everyone, she fell to one knee, letting her left wing hang to her side.

"Aerodactyl?!" Grant cried. "What's wrong?!"

The fossil Pokemon winced as she spread her wing. As Grant go a close look at her, his eyes widened. For right below the giant rock claws was a severe-looking burn.

"Aerodactyl's been burned!" Serena exclaimed. "Did Pidgeot do that?"

"Kinn?"

"It must have been that Heat Wave attack!" said Korrina. "Even if it wasn't very effective, unleashing it so close to Aerodactyl must have been enough to give it a burn!

"Lucario! Lu!"

"And with a burn like that Aerodactyl won't be able to fight as well," said Brock. "This might be Ash's chance to turn things around!"

"Come on, Ash!" said Serena. "This is your chance!"

"Show him what you're made of!" yelled Korrina.

"Fennekin!"

"Lu-Lucario!"

Hearing the encouragement of his friends, Ash smiled as he returned Pidgeot to her Pokeball.

"You did an amazing job," he said. "Thank you, Pidgeot."

As he put Pidgeot's Pokeball away, he looked down towards Pikachu. The mouse Pokemon noticed this, and gave his trainer a determined smile.

"Pikachu," said Ash, "it's time."

"Pikapi!"

Ash held out his arm, and Pikachu jumped forwards.

"Pikachu! I choose you!"

"Pikachu!"

Grant smiled as he saw Ash's choice. "I was starting to wonder when you'd be sending out your Pikachu."

"You were?" said Ash. "Well, let me just earn you, Pikachu is one of my strongest Pokemon!"

"Is that so?" said Grant. "Well, I look forwards to seeing that!"

"Then I guess we'll just have to show you!" sad Ash. "Pikachu! Quick Attack!"

"Rock Slide!"

Pikachu ran off at high speed, While Aerodactyl launched off a Rock Slide. This time, however, the fossil Pokemon winced noticeably as she attacked, and clearly had trouble aiming properly. Thus, Pikachu was able to dodge every single rock with ease, and slammed into Aerodactyl.

"Now use Thunderbolt!"

"Pikachuuu!" Pikachu cried as he unleashed a huge current of electricity into Aerodactyl. The ancient flyer cried out in pain and attempted to strike back, but Pikachu managed to get out of the way in time.

"Now use another Thunderbolt!"

"Dodge it and use Earthquake!"

Pikachu fired off his attack, but this time Aerodactyl had enough warning to get away, and slammed her feet against the floor. The resulting shockwave was too quick for Pikachu to escape, and he was hit by the super effective attack.

"Pikaaa!"

"Hang on, Pikachu!" said Ash. "Use Magnet Rise!"

"Pika!" the mouse Pokemon said as he got back to his feet. He then surrounded himself with electricity, and then began to lift himself off the ground.

"Now that's pretty cool," said Grant. "But we're not going to lose to that! Aerodactyl! Chase After Pikachu and use Rock Slide!"

"Get away!"

Aerodactyl roared as rocks began to fall all around her. Pikachu jumped up onto his tail and began to zip away, with Aerodactyl in hot pursuit. However, the fatigue of battle, as well as the burn, had clearly taken their toll, and she was no longer as agile in the air as she had been before. As a result, Pikachu was able to dodge all the rocks with relative ease.

"Now get close in and use Iron Tail!"

"Not happening! Use Rock Slide to keep him away!"

Aerodactyl let out a barrage of rocks, but was quickly stopped by a sharp pain in her wing, which forced her to stop flapping and land. Meanwhile, Pikachu dived towards her, doing as many rocks as he could.

"Now, Pikachu!"

Pikachu jumped off his tail and swung it around. The tail began to glow as it turned hard as metal. Then, as Pikachu reached Aerodactyl, he swung it around and smacked his opponent right in the jaw.

"Yeah!" said Ash. "Now finish it with Thunderbolt!"

"Not yet!" said Grant. "Earthquake!"

Just As Pikachu touched the floor, Aerodactyl slammed her feet against the ground, letting loose a shockwave. The mouse Pokemon cried out in pain as he was sent backwards by the attack, but still managed to let out one more burst of electricity that hit his opponent at close range.

"PIkachu!"

"Aerodactyl!"

Both Pokemon now lay on the ground, exhausted by the effort of the battle. Of the two, it was hard to tell which one was more injured; while Pikachu had taken fewer attacks, they had been super effective moves from a mega evolved Pokemon. On the other hand, Aerodactyl had taken more than her fair share of damage, both from that many attacks she had taken, and from her burn.

"Oh no!" said Serena. "Pikachu seems ready to drop!"

"Kinn!"

"Yeah," said Korrina, "but Aerodactyl's looking pretty beat too! I don't think she'll be able to last much longer!"

"Lucario!"

Back on the field, Pikachu and Aerodactyl were both struggling to get back up to their feet.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled. "Hang in there!"

"Don't give up, Aerodactyl!" Grant called out.

Pikachu shook himself as he pushed himself upwards. Even though he could feel pain all over his body, he refused to give up. He would make sure Ash got his second badge!

"Pikaa!" Pikachu cried as he finally made it back onto his feet. He then panted as he looked to his opponent, who was still struggling to get back up.

"Don't let your guard down, Pikachu!" Ash called. "She's not out yet!"

Finally, Aerodactyl got back up. As she gasped for breath, she glared at the yellow rodent, who quickly got into a battle pose. For a moment, they both stared each other down, as if daing each other to make the first move.

Then aerodactyl screeched in pain and collapsed.

"Aerodactyl!" Grant said in shock as the fossil Pokemon fell to the floor, her body reverting to its original state.

"Aerodactyl is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Pikachu is the winner! WIth two Pokemon still capable of fighting, the victory goes to the challenger!"

A huge smile formed on Ash's face, and he immediately rushed up to Pikachu. The mouse Pokemon also rushed up to his trainer, and the two met each other in a hug.

"Pikachu! We did it!"

"Pikapi!"

"They did it!" Serena cheered as she jumped up and down.

"Fenn! Fenn!"

"That was so awesome!" said Korrina. "I want a Mega Evolution like that!"

"Lucario!" Lucario said, excited by the prospect of Mega Evolution.

"Not to mention that mastery of the rock type," said Brock. "I like this guy!"

Back on the field, Grant approached Ash with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Well done, Ash," he said. "I had a feeling you'd be a strong opponent, but I didn't think you'd be able to defeat three of my pokemon without a full team!"

"Well it wasn't easy," the raven haired trainer replied. "There were some moments there where I thought I was going to lose!"

"Well, you managed to pull through," said Grant. "And you didn't even need your last Pokemon!"

"Good thing too," said Ash. "I don't think Litleo would have been a good match against a rock type gym!"

"I'm sure you could have made it work," said Grant as he handed Ash an object. "But that's all just hypothetical now. I think you've earned the Cliff Badge."

Ash's face lit up as Grant presented him with his badge; it was shaped like a trio of rock slabs pressed together, each slightly higher than the last one.

"Alright!" he said as he took the badge, thrusting it upwards for everyone to see. "I just got the Cliff Badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

Ash smiled, then looked back towards his friends.

"So," Ash said as he looked at his new badge, "I guess this means we're heading off to your home now, right Korrina?"

"Heh, I guess so," said Korrina. "I'll bet you my grandpa will be really happy to explain everything you want to know about Mega Evolution!"

"Lu-Lucario!"

"That sounds like a plan," said Grant. "Mega Evolution is certainly an amazing phenomenon unlike anything I've ever seen. I think you'd be able to learn a lot if you could somehow master it."

"I think we're going to master it for sure," Ash said as he glanced back towards Pikachu. "Don't you think so, buddy?"

"Pika!" Pikachu said excitedly.

"I think it would be fascinating to learn about Mega Evolution too," said Brock. "But before we get going, though, there's one thing we can't forget!"

Ash blinked. "What is that?"

To his surprise, Brock rushed up to Grant.

"Can you tell me all about how you got the idea for a rock climbing Gym?"

Grant looked at Brock in surprise for a moment, before smiling.

"Sure, why not. You see, it all started when I was young…"

The rest of the group laughed as the two rock type specialists talked together excitedly.

* * *

The group chatted excitedly as they reached the Pokemon Center. Not only were they impressed by Ash's latest victory, but they were also looking forwards to reaching Shalour City and learning more about the mysteries of Mega Evolution.

"I can't wait to see more Mega Evolving pokemon!" said Ash. "It's going to be so exciting!"

"Pikachu!"

"I know," said Korrina. "Personally, I'm just looking forwards to seeing my grandpa again. Although I do want to see if I can find out more about Lucario's Mega stone as well."

"Lucario!"

They then made their way towards Nurse Joy's desk to heal Ash's Pokemon. As they reached it, however, they were approached by a man with a large delivery bag.

"Hello," the man said. "Would one of you happen to be Korrina Shalour?"

The group stopped in surprise, then looked towards the blonde haired girl in question.

"I… that's me," she said, unsure of what to make of the man. "Why do you ask?"

"Ah, good," the man said. "I have a letter for you."

Korrina blinked as the man pulled out a letter and handed it to her.

"Oh," she said. "Thanks?"

"You're welcome," the man said as he walked off, leaving the group to look at the letter now in Korrina's hands.

"Well, what is it?" Ash asked.

"Who do you think wants to talk to you?" said Serena.

Unsure of what to say, Korrina opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. As she began to read, the expression on her face remained confused. After a moment, however, it morphed into a look of realization, then terror.

"Oh… oh no…"

Her friends looked at her in concern.

"Is everything alright, Korrina?" asked Brock.

"Lu-cario?"

"Uh, yeah," Korrina said, although her voice did not seem to support her statement.

"Well, what does it say?" asked Ash.

"Pikachu?"

Korrina looked down at the letter, then swallowed hard.

"It's from my mom."

Her friends stared at her as she tried not to panic.

"She's going to be in Geosenge Town for a few days. And… she wants me to meet her."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Dun Dun Duuun!**_

 _ **...So, yeah. Within the next few chapters we should be figuring out a bit more about what Korrina's mommy issues are. And I can probably guarantee you that they're not what you think they are.**_

 _ **Oh yeah, and Ash finally got his second Gym Badge. With more Mega Evolving Pokemon! Makes you wonder when he'll get a Mega of his own.**_

 _ **Anyway, Next time Ash and co are going right back onto the road!**_


	35. Old Rocks and New Villains

"Relax, Korrina," said Brock. "I'm sure everything is going to be just fine."

"You don't know that!" Korrina snapped. "What if she's disappointed by how little progress I've made towards mastering Mega Evolution?! What if she wants me to defeat one of her Pokémon in battle, and I fail?! What if she decides I can't take over the Gym?!"

The rest of the group stared at her in bemusement, before looking towards Lucario, who simply shrugged.

"Hey, Korrina?" said Ash. Even if you and your mom has some weird issues, I'm sure you can work it out. Besides, we'll be here to back you up if things get bad!"

"Pikachu!"

"And maybe everything will go just fine and we won't have to get involved at all," said Serena. "I mean, maybe this is just a misunderstanding that you two have, and she just wants to get it all sorted out."

"Right," Korrina said, doubt evident in her voice. However, she then smiled as she looked back towards her friends. "Well, if nothing else, I'll know that you guys have my back."

"Lucario!"

"Yeah," said Ash. "We're here for you!"

"Pikachu!"

"Not to mention that even if things go horribly wrong, we can just post it on MewTube and get a million views!" said Rotom, which earned him a round of groans from the rest of the group.

* * *

The next day, the group was once again on the move, excited to get to their next destination. While Korrina was still concerned about the upcoming meeting with her mother, she had, for the most part, pushed it to the back of her mind.

"Wow," said Ash as he took in the surrounding area, "there are a whole lot of rocks here."

"Pikachu, Pika."

"Yup," said Korrina. "Route 12 is also referred to as Menhir Trail, owing to the large rocks that lie along the road."

"And how exactly did they get there?" Brock asked.

"I'm not sure," said Korrina. "But I think they're connected to the great war that took place about 3000 years ago."

"The great war?" said Serena. "So you think they could be some sort of memorial for the Pokémon who fell in that war?"

"They could be," Korrina said with a shrug. "It's not too important, but they're pretty nice."

"Lucario!"

"Yeah, they are," said Brock. "Still, I'd like to know how they got here someday."

"Me too," said Ash. "It sounds fascinating!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

After that, the group began to walk for another while, simply admiring the strange beauty of the stones. As they walked, however, they began to hear strange voices coming from behind some of the stones.

"It's still going to take some time to determine if there is any latent infinity energy in the stones, but the scans should be able to show something."

"Well, let's get to it, then. You know how Xerosic would react if we return empty handed."

"Very well. Let's see what we can find."

Surprised, the group slowly moved up to the stones, being careful not to make too much noise. They then pressed themselves against them, still not giving away their presence.

"So, what do you think is going on?" Serena whispered.

"I don't know," said Ash, "but it doesn't sound good."

"Pika Pika."

Cautiously, they peered around the rocks, taking a look at what lay behind them. To their surprise, they caught a glance of people dressed in red business suits.

"Isn't that Team Flare or whatever?" Korrina asked quietly.

"Yeah," Brock whispered back, "It's them."

"Lucar-Cario."

"What are they doing here, though?" asked Serena. "I mean, what could they want with those boulders?"

"I dunno," said Ash. "I think I heard them say something about some energy on them."

"Pikachu, Pika."

"Well, whatever they want, It's probably not good," said Korrina. "Especially after Glittering Cave!"

"Yeah," said Ash. "We'd better make sure they don't cause any trouble!"

"Pikapi!"

"Lucario!"

With their course of action decided, the group gathered their Pokeballs in preparation for battle. They could tell there were about a half dozen Flare grunts, leaving them slightly outnumbered, but they knew that with the element of surprise, they could most likely take them on.

"Everybody ready?" said Ash.

"Pikapi!"

"Cario!"

The rest of the group nodded, so Ash lifted his pokeball in preparation.

"Okay then, let's do this."

He then rushed out from behind his hiding place and tossed his Pokeball, with the rest doing the same after him.

"Larvitar! Rock Throw!"

"Fennekin! Ember!"

"Amaura! Powder Snow!"

"Tyrunt! Bite!"

The grunts barely had any warning before they were hit by a barrage of attacks. They were knocked back onto the ground.

"What?!" One of them groaned as he got back to his feet. "Who do you brats think you are?!"

"We're not going to let you get away with whatever you're doing!" said Ash.

"Pikapika!

"Give up now and we won't have to beat you up!" said Korrina.

"Lucario!"

"I see," the lead grunt said angrily as he grabbed a Pokeball. "Very well, then. Attack, Houndour!"

With a flash of light, six Houndour popped out of their Pokeballs and lunged towards the group, who responded with their own attacks.

"Thunderbolt! Hidden Power!"

"Scratch!"

"Ancient Power! Bone Rush"

"Headbutt!"

The six Houndour blasted out a volley of Ember attacks towards the group's Pokémon . Pikachu jumped out of the way, then delivered a powerful shock to one of the fire type Pokémon . Amaura and Lucario also managed to dodge, and delivered their own attacks. Larvitar, Fennekin, and Tyrunt weren't able to dodge, but the flames did little to damage them, and they were able to hit back with much more power.

"Houndour!" the grunt called. "Don't let them push you back! Snarl!"

The dark Pokémon began to bark out, releasing dark waves of sound. Pikachu and Lucario were once again able to dodge, but the others were less lucky, and were hit by the dark type attack. They cried out in pain as the sound pounded against them.

"Pikachu! Stop them with Quick Attack!"

"Lucario! Help Pikachu out with Power-Up Punch!"

Pikachu rushed forwards at blinding speed and tackled the Houndour, while Lucario followed up with a powerful punch. The two attacks combined caused the dark Pokémon to cancel out their attacks as they fell over.

"Stop fooling around!" the grunts cried. "Use Ember on Lucario!"

"Block it with Iron Tail!"

The six fire types blasted flames towards the aura Pokémon , only for their attacks to be blocked out as Pikachu lifted a solidified tail in front of them. He then brought the tail down, knocking them backwards. Meanwhile, the rest of their team had just finished recovering.

"Larvitar! Use Hidden Power!"

"Fennekin! Ember!"

"Amaura! Ancient Power!"

"Tyrunt! Rock Tomb!"

The four attacks slammed against the Houndour team. Already weakened by the dual attacks from Pikachu and Lucario, the six fire type Pokémon were unable to dodge as they were struck by the four simultaneous attacks. Which lifted a huge cloud of dust into the air.

"Houndour!"

As the dust settles, it revealed that all six Houndour were now unconscious.

"Darn it!" the lead grunt cried out. "How did we get beaten so easily?!"

They then looked up at the group, who were now looking at them expectantly.

"So, now that we've beaten you, would you mind telling us what exactly you're doing?" asked Brock.

"We don't have to tell you anything!" the lead grunt said as he grabbed a Pokeball. "Abra! Get us out of here!"

With a burst of light, an Abra appeared. The Psi Pokémon cried out as it glowed, and before Ash or any of his friends could react, Team Flare had vanished.

"Aw man," said Ash, "now we'll never know what they were doing."

"Pikapi..."

"Yeah," Serena said as she glanced back towards the stones. "Makes you wonder what they could want with these old rocks."

"Well," said Korrina, "Maybe there's more to these old rocks than meets the eye."

The group reflected on Korrina's words for a moment as they stared at the stones in fascination, wondering what sorts of secrets they could hold.

* * *

"Well, this is Geosenge town."

"Lucario!"

Much like route 12, the town was surrounded by boulders, though these were smaller and sparser than the preceding route. However, there were also three huge, narrow pillars of stone jutting out of the town's center, pointing towards the sky. Apart from these, however, the town didn't seem to have any significant landmarks.

"So, this is where your mom wants us to meet you, right?" said Brock.

"Yeah," said Korrina, all the worry and concern now returning to her. "I guess you're all eager to meet her?"

"Yeah," said Serena, "I think it'll be fun!"

"And if your mom is as strong as you say she is, I want to see how good she is in a battle!" said Ash.

"Pikapika!"

Korrina sighed, then gave her friends a nervous smile.

"Okay then! This is going to be fun!"

* * *

 ** _A/N: Sorry for the wait guys. I had writer's block, but then I was inspired by the Detective Pikachu trailer, and I ended up finishing this chappie. Just in time for Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee, too!_**

 ** _Anyway, I didn't have much to work with as far as the Anime goes. After all, this was around the time Ash and his friends met Korrina in the actual anime, and of course she's already a member of the gang in this story. So I mostly followed the game and had them encounter Team Flare again._**

 ** _Apart from that, there wasn't really much to see in this chapter. That will all change in the next one, of course, as we're about to see Korrina's mom!_**


	36. Mega Evolution

"Well, here we are."

Korrina looked around nervously as she and her friends sat together at the Pokémon Center. They were looking at her in concern as they awaited the arrival of her mother.

"Don't worry, Korrina," said Ash. "I'm sure it will all be fine!"

"Pikachu!"

"Yeah!" said Serena. "Even if you have issues, she's still your mom, so she still loves you!"

"Of course!" said Brock. "And we can help you and your mom fix any issues you might have!"

"Cario!" Lucario barked as he placed a paw on Korrina's shoulder. Seeing her friends encouraging her finally managed to bring a smile to the blonde girl's face.

"Yeah, you're right," she said finally. "I just need to be confident that everything is going to be fine! And then we'll work everything out!"

She then frowned slightly.

"Just one thing before she get here."

To everyone's surprise, she grabbed Brock by the collar and pulled him close. The brown haired trainer began to sweat as he was met by Korrina's glare.

"Brock," she said in a calm voice that hid a dangerous edge, "if you try to flirt with my mom, there are no words to describe the horrible things I will do to you. Are we clear?"

Brock whimpered for a moment, before squeaking out "crystal clear!" Satisfied, Korrina let him go, and he sat back in his seat, still clearly terrified.

"Was that really necessary?" Serena asked as Brock tried to call down.

"I'd rather not take chances," said Korrina. Serena looked at Ash, and they both shrugged.

Afterwards, there was silence for a brief moment. Then, the Pokémon Center's door opened, and a woman walked in.

"Here we go," Korrina said quietly, not even needing to look at her friends to know they were shocked.

It was one thing to know that Korrina's mother was breathtaking. It was quite another to actually be in front of her. Everything about her gave an air of confidence, power, and wisdom, something that every other trainer aspired to be.

Much like her daughter, she had blonde hair and gray eyes, although hers were a slightly darker color than Korrina's. She was dressed almost entirely in black, most notably the long black coat that reached below her knees and covered up her black shirt and pants. Finally, she had a pair of hair clips that looked rather similar to a Lucario's aura feelers, one of which seemed to contain a key stone.

"Hello, Korrina, Hello Lucario," she said with a smile. "It's been quite some time, hasn't it?"

"Hey Mom," Korrina said as she did her best to smile back. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Cario, Lu," Lucario said with a small bow.

"Indeed," her mother said. "How has your progress on trying to achieve Mega Evolution been going?"

"Oh! That's been great! Just great!" Korrina said, now clearly nervous, causing Lucario to roll his eyes.

"I see," her mother said, a neutral expression on her face. She then smiled as she looked at the rest of the group. "And I see that you're traveling with some friends now. Would you mind introducing them?"

"Oh, yeah!" Korrina said quickly, eager to change subject. "So Mom, this is Brock, Ash, and Serena. Guys, this is-"

"Cynthia Shirona?!" Ash said in shock. "Your mom is the Champion of the Sinnoh League?!"

"Pika Pikachu?!"

"One of the greatest Pokémon trainers in the world, who is able to defeat even other Champions without effort?!" Serena added.

There was then a loud thumping noise, which caused the group to look down. To their surprise, they found that Brock had fainted, and was now lying on the floor.

"Well," Cynthia said with a bemused look on her face, "yes, that would be me."

She then smiled. "Anyway, I'm glad to meet you all! It's good to see that my daughter has met such great friends!"

"Yes," Korrina muttered as she glanced towards Brock. "Just great."

* * *

"So, what brings you here, Miss Shirona?" Ash asked once Brock had gotten back up. "Or would it be Miss Shalour? Also, would you mind having a battle with me?"

"Just Cynthia is fine," said Cynthia. "And I'd rather have a battle with my daughter today."

Ash groaned and facefaulted as the rest of the group laughed.

"In any case, I want to see just how far along my daughter has gotten on her mission to master Mega Evolution."

"Oh, that!" Korrina said nervously. "Yeah, I've been doing great! Amazingly great!"

"I see," said Cynthia. "So, did you finally get that 100 win streak you were trying to achieve?"

"Oh!" said Korrina as she forced a smile on to her face. "Well, I've been doing great with that! Yup, that's been fantastic! Totally fine!"

Cynthia raised an eyebrow, causing both Korrina and Lucario to sweat. Finally, she sighed.

"Well, I suppose we could take a look and see how well you're doing."

"What do you mean?" Korrina asked.

Cynthia said nothing, electing simply to get to her feet and walk towards the exit. Confused, the rest of the group got up as well and began to follow her. As they left the building, they soon realized she was leading them to the battlefield.

"So, what do you have in mind, Miss Cynthia?" asked Serena.

"You'll see," Cynthia said as she reached into her pocket. "Korrina, I'd like to see how well Lucario does in battle."

"Oh," said Korrina. "I mean, I'm not sure I'll do that well, not to mention that my win streak might-"

"And I wanted to see how the two of you handle this."

At this, Cynthia handed something to Korrina. Surprised, the younger trainer looked down at the object her mother had given her, and let out an audible gasp.

"Is that…"

"Lucario's Mega Stone," Cynthia confirmed. "Lucarionite."

The rest of the group quickly turned their attention to the item Korrina was holding. It was a yellow spherical object with a curved, red and blue design in the center. Lucario in particular was eyeing the item with an excited look.

"I wish to see if you two are capable of battling with Mega Evolution," said Cynthia. "I think that it would be helpful to you in your journey to become the next Shalour Gym Leader."

"Yes!" Korrina said as her face lit up. "I'd love to!"

"Lucar!" Lucario barked as he took the Lucarionite in his paw.

"Then it's settled," said Cynthia. "You will show us what you've got."

She walked to the other side of the field, then pulled out a Pokeball.

"Just so you know," she said, "I won't be holding back, so you had better not do so either!"

Cynthia then tossed out her Pokeball, revealing a dark blue sharklike Pokémon with razor sharp teeth.

"Garchomp!"

"Oh wow!" said Ash. "Cynthia's using her Garchomp!"

"Pikapika!"

"It looks even stronger in person!" said Brock.

"I don't think Korrina and Lucario are going to stand a chance!" said Serena.

Korrina chuckled. While she could admit to being intimidated by her mother's Garchomp, she would never give up without a fight.

"Let's give it everything we've got! Are you ready, Lucario?"

"Car! Lucario!" Lucario barked affirmatively. Filled with confidence, Korrina lifted her hands and touched her keystone. In a flash, both her keystone and the Lucarionite began to glow.

"Lucario! Respond to my heart! Mega Evolve!

Lucario howled as his body glowed with orange energy. His body began to shift, becoming shaggier and taller as his aura feelers became longer. Finally, the glow dissipated and revealed Lucario's new form.

"Lucario, Lu!"

The aura Pokémon looked around his body in awe, admiring the transformation that had just taken place. His aura feelers were longer and curlier, and were now colored red at the tips. His paws were also tipped with red, and the spikes on his body had grown larger and more numerous. The yellow fur on his chest was now much shaggier, and had extended to cover his tail. Not only had his body changed radically, but he could feel that he had grown in physical strength as well, and his aura was also much more powerful.

"How does it feel, Lucario?" Korrina asked, just as amazed as her partner.

"Lucario, Lu," the blue canine replied.

"Well done," said Cynthia. "But achieving Mega Evolution is just the beginning. You must also show that you are able to fight with your new power. It's time for you to show us what you're capable of!"

"You got it!" said Korrina. "We're going to show off just how strong we are together! Right, partner?"

"Lucar-cario!"

Both trainers locked gazes as their Pokémon got into fighting poses, ready for battle. Meanwhile, the rest of the group had moved to the sidelines, and were watching excitedly.

"This will be a one-on-one battle between Korrina and Cynthia. The battle will be over when either Pokémon is no longer able to continue. Begin now!"

Immediately, Korrina called out an attack.

"Use Bone Rush!"

"Counter it with Crunch!"

Lucario lunged forwards as a bone made of blue energy formed in his claws. He swung it forwards, only for Garchomp to grab it in her jaws and break right through it.

"Now use Dragon Claw!"

"Block it!"

Garchomp roared as its claws extended out and were covered with blue energy. The aura Pokémon held out his paws to block out the attack, but was still knocked backwards by several feet.

"Wow!" said Ash. "Garchomp is amazing!"

"Pika!"

"Yeah!" said Serena. "I mean, even after Mega Evolving, Lucario's still having trouble keeping up with her!"

Back on the field, Korrina was thinking the same thing, and was ready to give her next command.

"Lucario! Try a Power-Up Punch!"

"Dodge it!

Lucario's fist glowed as he rushed towards Garchomp, only for the mighty dragon type to take off into the air, flying upwards out of reach.

"Now use Dragon Rush!"

The mach Pokémon changed course, rushing towards Lucario at blinding speed. The aura Pokémon barely had any warning before he was slammed by the dragon type attack; he was sent flying, landing several feet away, right in front of his trainer.

"Lucario!" Korrina cried. "Are you okay?"

"Luuuu..."

"Oh, thank Arceus you're okay!" Korrina said with a relieved look on her face. However, as she looked at her partner, she realized that something was very, very wrong.

"Luuuu..."

"Lucario?" Korrina said worriedly. The aura Pokémon's pupils had shrunk down to pinpricks, and he was baring his teeth in a frightful manner. In addition, he was shaking violently, his fists twitching in preparation to battle.

He then lunged forwards.

"Lucario!" Korrina cried in shock. "I didn't say you could go!"

If Lucario heard his trainer, he didn't show it, as he charged towards Garchomp with his Metal Claw attack ready. The mach Pokémon caught it with her Dragon Claw attack, effortlessly blocking the move. Enraged, the aura Pokémon switched to Bone Rush and swung around wildly to his his opponent, only for Garchomp to deflect each attempt with her glowing claws.

"Stop it, Lucario!" Korrina called desperately. "What are you doing?!"

"Lucario's out of control!" said Ash.

"Pikapika!"

"But why?!" said Serena. "They battled so well before!"

"I don't know," said Brock, "but if this doesn't end soon, things are going to get really bad!"

Back on the field, Cynthia seemed to be thinking the same thing as Brock.

"Very well. Garchomp! Use Earthquake!"

Garchomp stopped blocking Lucario's attacks and slammed her right arm into the ground. The resulting shockwave knocked the out-of-control Pokémon off his feet and made him cry out in pain.

"Finish it with Dragon Rush!"

Garchomp roared as she lunged forwards, glowing with energy. Stunned by the previous attack, Lucario was powerless to block or dodge, and was slammed by the mighty dragon type.

"Lucario!" Korrina cried.

The aura Pokémon groaned as he landed in front of his trainer. His body glowed for a moment before reverting back to its original form.

"Lucario is... unable to battle," Brock said, still shocked by what had just happened. "Cynthia wins."

Immediately, the group rushed up to Korrina's side, worried for her and Lucario.

"Korrina!" said Ash. "What just happened?"

"Pika!"

"Yeah!" said Serena. "That was scary!"

"How did Lucario lose control like that?"

Korrina didn't answer. She simply stared at her partner in shock, wondering what had gone wrong. The rest of the group stared at her in turn, unsure of what else to say.

It was then that they were interrupted by the sound of Cynthia clearing her throat.

"If we can get back inside, I think I may have some ideas."

* * *

Some time later, the group were sitting in the Pokémon Center's lobby as they waited for Lucario to be healed.

"So, do you know what's going on with Lucario, Miss Cynthia?" Serena asked.

"Perhaps," said Cynthia. "But before I explain anything, I'd like to know what you know about Mega Evolution."

The group looked at Cynthia in surprise before considering what they knew.

"Well," said Brock, "it's like a unique form of normal Evolution that certain Pokémon who are fully evolved can undergo."

"And it makes Pokémon way stronger than they would normally be," said Ash.

"But it wears off after battle," said Serena.

"And it requires a strong bond between a trainer and their Pokémon," Korrina concluded.

For a moment, Cynthia looked downwards with a blank face. She then looked back up at them with a small smile

"Yes, all of that is correct. However, that is merely scratching the surface of what Mega Evolution is. You see, Mega Evolution allows Pokémon to gain powers and abilities that they would never be able to achieve otherwise. However, in order to unlock this power, both trainer and Pokémon must understand each other incredibly well, and have absolute trust in one another. If there are any issues that have not been worked out... things can get ugly."

"What do you mean by that?" Korrina asked worriedly.

"You see," Cynthia explained, "while Mega Evolution makes Pokémon very powerful, it can also make them much more aggressive."

"Mega Evolution makes Pokémon more aggressive?" Ash said in surprise.

"Pika?"

"I know this one!"

At that moment, Rotom popped out of Ash's pocket.

"Hey guys! Did I mention that I also have plenty of information on Mega Evolved Pokémon too?"

Cynthia blinked. "Is that a Pokedex?"

"It is," said Ash, "and it has a Rotom living inside."

"Ah," said Cynthia. "That makes sense. Well, sort of."

"Anyway," said Rotom, "Did you know that Mega Gengar tries to take the lives of anyone around it, including its trainer?"

Ash's face turned pale. "What?"

"Oh, and Mega Gyarados loses all function except the desire to burn down everything! And all the spikes coming out of Mega Aerodactyl's body are so painful that it begins attacking anything around it! And Mega Tyranitar's back splits open from the sheer power, so it becomes so fierce it doesn't even hear its trainer's orders!"

The group, with the exception of Cynthia, stared at the possessed Pokedex in horror.

"Yes, that is correct," Cynthia said. "Mega Lucario in particular has been known to become completely merciless in battle."

"Is that what happened out there?" Korrina asked worriedly. "Does that mean that my bond with Lucario isn't strong enough?"

"Perhaps," Cynthia said simply. "With that being said-"

Before she could continue, she was interrupted by the sound of the Pokémon Center tone.

"Korrina, your Pokémon are now fully healed!"

Gasping, the blonde haired trainer quickly got up and rushed to the counter.

"Thank you for waiting! Lucario is fully healed and ready to go!" Nurse Joy said with a smile.

"Thank you so much!" Korrina said as she grabbed Lucario's Pokeball.

"You're welcome," said Nurse Joy. "Now, is there anything else we can do for you?"

Korrina was about to answer when Cynthia walked up to the counter.

"No thank you. If it's all the same to you, I'd like to take a moment to speak with my daughter."

Korrina blinked in surprise as her mother looked right at her.

"Shall we?"

Korrina swallowed, then nodded. With that, Cynthia began to walk away, leading the younger trainer out of the Pokémon Center and back out towards the battlefield. Ash, Serena, Brock, and Pikachu watched the two leave, both curious and worried.

"You think Korrina's going to be okay?" said Serena.

"I hope so," said Brock. "It must be pretty hard to see your partner lose control like that."

"I know," said Ash. "I can't imagine what it would be like if Pikachu ended up like that."

"Pikaaa..."

For a moment, the group sat together in silence, just staring back towards the door. Then, they were interrupted by Nurse Joy's voice.

"Well, if they're going out, can I help any of you?"

Immediately, Brock rushed up to the counter and grabbed a surprised Nurse Joy's hands.

"Yes, you can heal my broken heart! I know you normally only treat Pokémon, but I'm sure it's okay for you to make an exception for-"

Before Brock could finish, Rotom flew up to him and unleashed a Discharge attack.

"MEEEEEEEEE!"

The hapless Pokémon Breeder fell to the floor as Rotom giggled.

"So, if you can make an exception," Rotom said in a cheeky voice as he turned to Nurse Joy, "how much would it cost to have him neutered?"

* * *

Outside the Pokémon Center, Korrina and Cynthia walked together around the battlefield. While both seemed calm, there was an air of tension that surrounded them.

"So, your friends seem nice," Cynthia said in a jovial tone, clearly wishing to break the ice.

"Yeah, they are," Korrina said, doing her best to smile. "Serena's from Vaniville Town, and Ash and Brock are from Kanto. Ash wants to battle in the Kalos League, so he's collecting all the badges. I'm pretty sure that the next one is the Shalour City Gym."

"Well, I'll definitely be looking forward to that," said Cynthia. "And so will your grandfather."

"Yeah, I'm sure," said Korrina. "Anyway, Brock is a Pokémon Breeder, and he used to be a Gym Leader in Kanto. And Serena wants to be a Pokémon Performer. Her first performance didn't go so well, but she's doing her best to make sure her next one is a lot better."

"That's good to hear," said Cynthia. "So, how did you meet?"

"Well, me and Lucario were looking for trainers to face off, becuase we were looking to improve our winning streak," Korrina explained. "So we came across them, and then stuff happened, and here we are."

"That's nice," said Cynthia. "So you're still working on those 100 wins?"

Korrina smiled nervously as she looked up at her mother.

"Er, yeah, I am. Although... I haven't really gotten there yet..."

For a moment, Cynthia looked back at her daughter, considering what she was going to say.

"Tell me, Korrina. Why do you think you and Lucario were unable to control Mega Evolution?"

Korrina looked down at Lucario's Pokeball worriedly.

"I... guess it was because the bond I have with Lucario isn't as strong as I thought it was?"

"Not necessarily," said Cynthia, causing Korrina to look up in surprise. "You see, if a trainer and Pokémon do not have a strong bond, they will not be able to achieve Mega Evolution at all. The fact that Lucario was able to change should be proof that you truly have a strong bond."

"Oh," Korrina said in surprise. "Then what went wrong?"

"If I had to guess," said Cynthia, "there is something on either your mind or Lucario's that is preventing you from fully controlling Mega Evolution.

"Somehting weighing on my mind?" Korrina said in confusion. She then scratched her head, wondering what issues she or Lucario might have could be preventing them from achieving Mega Evolution.

It was then that Cynthia answered her question.

"I can't help but feel that I may be somewhat responsible for this."

Korrina looked up at her mother in surprise.

"What?! But how-"

"I know that I haven't been the best mother, Korrina. I've tried my best to raise you and Verity to the best of my ability, but... I focused too much on trying to shape you both into the same kind of trainer I was. Fortunately, you were always a lot like me, and you always strived to reach my expectations so that you could be worthy of being the next Shalour Gym Leader. But that's not the kind of person your sister is. While I have no doubt that she could become a great trainer on her own, my attempts at helping her may have done more harm than good."

Korrina stared at her mother in shock, hardly able to believe the words coming out of her mother's mouth.

"I know you are much more agressive battler than she is, but I would be surprised if the pressure of living up to me didn't weigh heavily on your mind. Perhaps it's not at the forefront of your mind, but it's certainly there when you and Lucario attempt Mega Evolution, and it's most likely inhibiting the transformation."

The older trainer looked downwards for a moment, considering what to say next. She then turned to her daughter.

"Tell me, Korrina. Why did you attempt your 100-win streak in the first place?"

Korrina blinked in surprise.

"My win streak?" she asked. "Well, I wanted to prove that me and Lucario had a strong bond and could win a lot of battles together."

"And what else?"

Korrina couldn't help but sweat slightly at her mother's words.

"Well... I wanted to prove that I was as much of a great trainer as you were," she said finally. "I mean, you've been the Champion of Sinnoh since before I was born. And... I'm your daughter, so I should be able to win any battles without trouble. I guess I thought that if I could have as many wins as you, I might be worthy of being the Gym Leader of Shalour City."

The young trainer looked downwards, worried to look into her mother's eyes. While she was trying hard, she could feel a hint of moisture forming in her eyes, and shut them tight to avoid letting any tears fall out. Fortunately, before she could, she felt the gentle touch of Cynthia's hand on her shoulder.

"Korrina, you don't have to be as strong as me to be a great trainer. You may be my daughter, but that doesn't mean you're me. You and Lucario are strong together, regardless of whether or not you win every battle you take part in. Even I lost plenty of battles back in my day, but I had faith in myself and my partners, and we grew and learned together, and eventually I became the Champion of Sinnoh."

Korrina turned up to see her mother giving her a kind smile, and slowly began to smile back.

"I... think I get it," said Korrina. "I shouldn't try to be so much like you, but try to be more like me?"

"Exactly," said Cynthia. "You and Lucario need to find your own path. I know it may sound like a challenge, but I know that the two of you can do it."

"Right!" Korrina said with a smile. She then got up and tossed out Lucario's Pokeball out. The Aura Pokémon shook himself lightly as he emerged, then smiled as he greeted the two trainers.

"Lu-Lucar!"

"Hey, Lucario," said Korrina. "How are you doing?"

Lucario's smile vanished as he remembered the events that had transpired before. He then looked downwards in shame.

"Hey, cheer up," Korrina said as she patted him on the shoulder encouragingly. "It wasn't your fault that your Mega Evolution didn't go so well. We'll just have to keep working on it to make sure the next time turns out better!"

The blue canid looked up to his trainer and began to smile once more.

"Lucario! Lu!"

"Yeah!" said Korrina. "We'll figure it out together!"

The two laughed together for a moment, now feeling significantly better about theif failed attempt at achieving Mega Evolution. It was then that Cynthia cleared her throat to catch their attention.

"Well, I have no doubt that the two of you will be able to pull it off. Before you do so, however, I think you should keep this."

Korrina and Lucario both gasped in surprise as they saw what the older trainer was handing them.

"The Lucarionite?" Korrina sais in amazement. Not only was her mother handing her the Mega Stone, it was even enclosed in a protective sleeve to help Lucario carry it.

"I know that you don't quite have it yet," said Cynthia, "but I think you'll be able to wield it well."

"Are you sure?" said Korrina. "I mean, isn't this yours?"

"Well, not exactly," Cynthia said, and Korrina was surprised to note the slightest tinge of sadness in her voice. "You see, this Lucarionite... It was the same one your father used."

Korrina's heart skipped a beat.

"This... was dad's?" she said, the slightest hint of a tear appearing in her eyes.

"Indeed," Cynthia said as she looked down at the stone. "He was a master at using Mega Evolution, and I think he would have wanted you to use if when you became the Gym Leader."

"Oh," Korrina said as she grabbed the stone. She then turned to her partner.

"Hey, Lucario," she said, her voice trembling. "This was dad's Mega Stone. Do you think we'll be able to use it?"

"Luuu..." Lucario said as he looked at the stone in fascination. For a moment, both trainer and Pokémon stood there staring at it, unsure of what to do. Then, slowly, the aura Pokémon stretched out his paw, and Korrina pulled up the sleeve with the stone over his arm.

"There," said Korrina, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "I just hope we'll be able to live up to dad's example."

"Lucar-Lu!" said Lucario.

With a smile, Korrina turned back to her mother, smiling once more.

"Mom... thanks."

"You're welcome, Korrina," said Cynthia. "And good luck trying to master Mega Evolution."

Korrina blinked.

"What do you mean, 'good luck?' Are you leaving already?"

"Unfortunately, I have business elsewhere," Cynthia said as she began to walk away. "But I heard that you were nearby, and so I decided to wait so I could meet with you."

"You... heard I was here?" Korrina said in surprise. "Where?"

"Oh, and old _friend_ of yours mentioned you were coming."

Korrina groaned.

"Not her," she moaned as her mother and Lucario chuckled.

"Yes, Astrid mentioned your little run in," Cynthia said as she stopped walking and smiled at her daughter. "I was quite impressed that she'd found a piece of Absolite. In any case, I'm happy I was able to find you, especially since I managed to give you that Mega Stone."

"I guess so," said Korrina. "Are you sure you can't stay any longer, mom?"

"I wish I could," said Cynthia. "But I'm sure we'll be seeing each other soon. While I can't say much, there are some interesting things going on in Kalos, and I intend to keep an eye on them."

"Oh," Korrina said, curious about what her mother was talking about, but also hopeful that she'd be able to see her again soon. "So, if we meet again, do you think we'll be able to battle?"

"Maybe," said Cynthia. "If you and Lucario can master Mega Evolution, we'll see. For now, though, you and Lucario keep on training together."

With that, Cynthia walked off, leaving her daughter behind. For a moment, she and Lucario looked towards the older trainer in awe. Then she smiled and shouted out.

"We'll do it, mom! We'll be the best Mega Evolution trainers ever!"

"Lucario! Lu!"

The two then looked at each other, both smiling determinedly. Even if they had trouble wielding Mega Evolution today, the encouragement that Cynthia had given Korrina gave her hope that they would be able to pull through. And they were determined to show her that strength the next time they met.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Welp, have a new chapter! Just in time for Super Smash Bros!**_

 _ **Surprisingly, much like Astrid being Korrina's Rival, Cynthia being Korrina's mom wasn't originally planned. However, early on in the writing of the story (Specifically, back when Astrid made her debut), the idea popped into my head and appealed to me. It didn't hurt that I'd already introduced elements from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and even Alola, so Sinnoh seemed to be the logical next step. Makes me wonder what I could introduce from Unova...**_

 _ **Anyway, see you next time!... Presumably once I put Smash down.**_


End file.
